


The True Believer

by Melethril



Series: Reverence For Life [6]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Amenadiel as antagonist, Angst and Humor, Bits of Mythology, Case Fic, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hell, Humor, It is a crossover after all, M/M, No bashing either, Scared people do stupid things, She's freaked out, Supernatural Elements, alternative universe, mainly humor, not chloe decker friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 109,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23249983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melethril/pseuds/Melethril
Summary: The BAU is called to a case in Hohenwald, Tennessee. They learn a bit more about their supernatural consultant, and magic in general. Lucifer also learns a few new things.Meanwhile, they find out that people are conspiring against Lucifer. The BAU is not just any team, though. They are a family, and they protect their own.Even against Heaven itself if necessary.
Relationships: Azrael & Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Candy Morningstar & Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker & Dan Espinoza, Linda Martin/Mazikeen (Lucifer TV), Lucifer Morningstar & The BAU
Series: Reverence For Life [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1482401
Comments: 805
Kudos: 523





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> With all that is going on the world, I don't want to lose too many words over this:  
> \- Thank you SilverWolf7 for your continued support  
> \- Thank you, reader, for still being a part of this series  
> \- Stay healthy, stay inside and read lots and lots of fan fiction to pass the time... For once, us introverts have an easier time. 
> 
> I cannot guarantee regular updates, but my goal is one chapter every two weeks. We will see if I can keep this schedule.
> 
> A few more notes on the story:  
> I think "True Believer" will have lots of humor with dark undertones. “When Even Fallen Angels Weep” will be the opposite: incredibly dark with some comic relief
> 
> IMPORTANT NOTE: This story is going to contain bits and pieces from various (religious) beliefs, including Satanism, Wicca/Pagan Witchcraft and Evangelical Protestantism. Please note that this story is pure fiction and was written for entertainment purposes and while I have done some research, I am writing as a hobby, so expect inaccuracies (I am writing fanfiction about a fictional devil created by Neil Gaiman that was then adapted to TV by 20th Century Fox Studios by crossing them over with a fictional crime series, so there you go). I have no wish to offend anyone. I believe in the freedom of religion. Anyone may practice according to their faith as long as these practices do not harm anyone else. So, enjoy and do not take this too seriously.

_ Previously on Reverence for Life. _

_“Lucifer,_ _what did you do in Vegas?”_

_“Oh, the usual._ _I played a bit of poker became co-owner of a club called Fletcher’s, got married. Her name is Candy.”_

_“What?_ _Why?_ _When is she coming over to DC?”_

_"Probably not at all. Her home’s Vegas. Besides, this arrangement is just temporary."_

_“What happened, Chloe?”_

_“Hell exists, Dan. The devil walks the Earth in the guise of some shady club owner and he came to Los Angels where he knew he could go unnoticed. It’s a brilliant plan.”_

_“He saved you. Perhaps the BAU is right, and Morningstar is true to his word when he says that the devil isn’t evil. Not that I like the arrogant bastard, but you know, he’s not a monster.”_

_“That’s all part of his plan! His eyes? Did you see his eyes? The devil is known as the Deceiver, the Father of all Lies. You don’t know what he’s planning.”_

_“No, I don’t, but then who does? We’re cops. We’re not qualified to answer any of these questions. Come on, let’s get some rest.”_

_“You go ahead. I need a few more moments.”_

_“For all those lost in this City of Angels, for all those appalled that the Deceiver is among us, I invite all of you to visit that congregation in Rome. Ask for Father William Kinley or for Father Christian Engel. They will help you.”_

_“It is time for you to return to Hell, brother.”_

_ And now, the conclusion: _

_No, no, no, not like this._

But he knew, he knew this was it.

He was afraid.

He had not meant to hurt that girl. He had… When darkness swallowed him, he knew he would have to pay for what he had done.

“Yep, you will.”

She was like a dark cloud of merciless impartiality. Ian did not know who she was, but he knew what came next and he wanted to beg for forgiveness.

“Don’t bother, pal. I’m no judge. My brother is, though… Or whoever he put in charge. Oh, I hope it’s not Hela. Love her, but she’s so gloomy. Anyway, we gotta go. I’m on a schedule.”

_“Azrael.”_

“Oh, crap.”

He did not say anything; he did not dare speak. Or move. If she was a cloud of what was to come, the other one was a beacon of blinding light that would never be his to behold. Was this _him_? Was this the _brother_?

“Amenadiel, I got things to do,” said the cloud and he began to see more. She wore a long black robe, but she actually looked like a young woman. This was odd. She sounded like teenage girl. “You should see my list. I’ve got like a ton of souls to gather. Do souls weigh anything? Anyway, I’ll drop this guy off, and then we can talk. Or actually, there was a car accident in Rwanda and then that skirmish in… you know what? Let’s schedule a meeting. I have free slot in… I don’t know, four thousand years?”

“It’s urgent, Azrael.”

“You’re the Angel of Time, Brother,” she countered. “How urgent can it be?”

The cloud, Azrael – death, the Angel of Death – was indeed a young woman, a young Asian woman by the looks of it. Oh, if he grandmother knew…. Death tilted her head, “Did you stop time _everywhere_? Michael’s not going to like that.”

“He won’t notice. Raphael won’t say anything and Lucifer…” The angel scoffed. “He’s cursing at me as we speak. Apparently I am interrupting a _very good time_. Typical. That’s all he’s interested in. Instant gratification. Lust. Indulging in the deadly sins like they are a to-do list. He has no authority over me.”

“Okay, but this is bordering on meddling with the natural order of things, you know,” said Death, biting her lips and he was both fascinated and horrified. Was this his punishment? To watch a sibling quarrel between angels for all of eternity?

“Dad wants Lucifer back in Hell.”

“Are you sure?” said she doubtfully. “He didn’t say anything to me back in Woodland. I’ve seen Lu quite a few times now. Daddy never complained or talked to me about it. Not that he ever does, but… Raphael didn’t hear anything either.”

“Because you are his little ones,” replied the angel named Amenadiel. “Father wouldn’t want to burden you with his plans.”

“I’m the Angel of Death,” was the cold reply. “I dare say that the only angel with a worse task, is Lucifer.”

“It was a _gift_ ,” was the sharp reply. “A gift he squandered, scorned and dismissed. He has a kingdom of his own and the power of Light at his disposal.”

“And is hated by the majority of the very siblings he used to protect. Rejected from the place he once called home. Removed from his own creations. Yeah, I see where you’re going with this. Remind me not to ask you for a birthday gift.”

“What is a birth-? Never mind. Are you questioning his will, sister?”

“No,” was the immediate, fearful reply. “Dad had his reasons, I’m sure of it. I don’t remember him telling us to hate Lucifer, though. Or fear him. Or scorn him.”

“There was too much Light in the universe,” said Amenadiel. “You don’t understand. You never had t-“ the angel said no more and Ian just knew something terrible hid beneath these words, but it was too frightening to grasp and Ian was afraid to reach out. “He had to stop the Lightbringer, and he did. He let him Fall, and the Lightbringer burned out. He’s not the Luci you remember. He’s always been selfish, but now… spending his time with demons-“

“Who else was he supposed to spend time with? It’s not like we visited him!”

“-indulging in base human desires-“

“He lets other people indulge in theirs.”

“-abandoning his post-“

“After almost one million Earth years! You’re the Angel of Time. You know how Hell works!”

“-revealing his identity to I don’t know how many humans-“

“Who have not even attempted to make it public knowledge!”

“-talking about the Third Reign, saying he made them, in a room full of clergymen-“

“What?” For the first time, she sounded surprised.

“-with Raphael right beside him and not trying to stop it-“

“What?”

“Lucifer talked about times long passed, times he knows shouldn’t be mentioned around certain ears.”

“He’s dead, Amenadiel. He no longer _has_ ears,” was the dismissive reply and both looked straight at Ian. He wished to hide in a large, dark hole. “So, Lucifer’s been talking about what came before, so what?” But then she looked unsure. “Is Dad angry about that? Lucifer was quite upset about the end of the Third Reign. I remember. I was upset, too, but Lu was both angry and sad and he said things to Dad, and Dad then declared that with each Reign gone by, the previous ones must not be talked about… Lucifer must’ve had a good reason.”

“No, he did not. He merely used it to shock them. This was not the only time he talked about them. Enough is enough. Dad wants Luci back, and if he doesn’t return voluntarily, Lucifer will be trapped in Hell forever without the ability to leave if he so chooses. Trapped in Hell without the wings to carry him to the Dark Lord’s throne on top of the dark hill that oversees it all.”

“Now you sound like Gandalf,” scoffed Death, but she was biting her lip.

“Who’s Gandalf?”

“Never mind. Let me talk to him. He’ll listen,” said Azrael.

“No, he won’t. You’re his nestling. He wouldn’t accept an order from you,” was the resolute reply. “Or Raphael. Raguel is gone, Dad cannot take care of it, so Michael and I must-“

“No!” exclaimed Azrael. “No, you can’t! Leave Michael where he is. Let’s… How can I help?”

He smiled softly. The Angel of Time approached Death and kissed her on her temple. “You are the closest thing to all-hearing ears on Earth for death is everywhere.”

“And?”

She did not sound happy.

“Help me. Help me bring him back to where he belongs or Dad will make him.”

“Okay, okay, okay!” she shouted. “What do you want to know?”

“Has Lucifer made enemies here on Earth?”

“He’s the devil,” was her reply. “He’s brought many of them to justice and they hate and fear him for it. There’s a group, though, back at the Vatican. A bit stalkerish, but they follow his moves when he’s on Earth. And the dope doesn’t really try to hide his own self, so… Lu’s easy enough to keep track of.”

“Vatican?”

“Let me bring this guy to where he belongs and I’ll show you,” said she. “One condition: you won’t hurt him, will you? It’s not like the mortals can hurt him, but _you…_ ”

“I will do everything in my power to make sure that Dad isn’t hurting him again.”

“’kay. You, soul, with me.”

Eternal fire and pain.

Who was he again? Why was he? The girl, yes, the girl, this was why he had to burn. Burn. The devil was not here, but the devil was in danger.

There were voices, but he could not discern them.

“-Lucifer?”

Was that a question? What was a question?

_Make it stop, please._

Again, he was being pulled away. He remembered what happened the last time someone had pulled him away from life.

_Have mercy, please._

“Shut up!”

The pain receded slowly, and he – Ian, his name was Ian – could suddenly hear again.

“What did you say about Lucifer?”

He talked. Of course, he talked. It was better than the pain he so rightly deserved.

* * *

After hastily throwing the soul back into his room and thanking Str’ae for calling him, he called onto the hellhounds.

“Call the others,” commanded Dromos. “Lucifer is in danger.” Kerb did not hesitate; she was Lucifer’s absolute favorite for a reason, but Barghest and Mamau followed her without hesitation. Mamau growled deeply and it resonated across the halls; Dromos smiled when he heard the sinners whimper in fear. Swiftly, he moved through the endless halls he was now in charge of.

He could not wait for Lucifer to return. Things were _bad_ since he left.

Oh, the sinners were taken care of; no soul had slipped through the cracks, but things were so much _bleaker_ without Lucifer. He made everything… brighter. Before him, there was only darkness. He had allowed them to be, to come into existence. In some way, he was the father of demons (only in some ways, though, and never near Lucifer; he did not like hearing it).

He had to come back. He had to. Dromos knew, he _knew_ that Lucifer had left less than an Earth decade ago, but an Earth decade was an _eternity_ here. Their lord would return… once he stopped being upset about Lily.

Dromos was trying! He really was. As soon as he had her out of that room, Lucifer would return.

He hoped.

He had to.

He missed him. Did Lucifer miss them in return?

 _“You called for us, Dromos?”_ said Yama, his voice resonating in the halls. He led them to where Lucifer usually held these meetings. Ala was already inside stroking Mamau’s coat gently. Hades entered with Kerb. Anubis stood quietly in the dark, a jackal by his side. Bastet was not here yet, but that was not surprising. There was a good chance she would not arrive at all. She rarely did what he asked her for. She barely did what Lucifer asked.

“Heaven conspires against Lucifer. They want to ban him from Earth,” said he, seeing no point in talking around the bush.

What did that even mean? ‘Talk around the bush’? He knew modern English because souls were remarkably talkative when they thought it would give them a reprieve from the agony, but that did not mean they made sense most of the time.

 _“Well, I cannot say I’m surprised,”_ said Hades in the tongue of those who once feared and thus worshipped him. He refused to speak in any modern language; he believed it weakened him, though Lucifer had assured him that it did not. Lucifer never lied. “ _And?”_

“I must warn him, said Dromos, “but for that I must leave Hell.”

 _“Why not send another?”_ said Ala in Igbo, or Dromos hoped she did. He was not their lord and he did not speak _everything_ , just enough to get by. Souls all spoke the same language when he handled them: they screamed.

“Because Lucifer forbade us to leave Hell. Neither can you, outside of visiting your worshippers and then only if Heaven and Hell allow it,” he addressed her. “No demon will go against his wishes.”

 _“But you would,”_ said Yama tilting his head.

“Lucifer is in danger. If he were to be trapped here forever… Do you want an insane king? Because if so, let me open the Goddess’ cell and you will have your wish. I will go there myself, but you must help me.” They all flinched when he mentioned Her. She whom even Lucifer feared. “Rule Hell in my absence.”

 _“We must have one more or She escapes,”_ said Hades.

They were right. With Mazikeen and Lucifer gone, the danger that the Goddess would notice his absence was too great.

That being said… “I will call Loki.”

 _“He must not come near Her cell,”_ said Ala sharply.

“And he won’t. Yama and Ala, you will be the main judges. Bastet, I know you can hear me… you will guard the Goddess’ gates. Hades, Anubis, you will rule Hell and keep Loki on his toes. Lucifer has gifted her a soul; Loki owes him.”

Hades groaned, but he did not refuse. Anubis scowled, but then, that was his usual look.

“Fine,” said Bastet, her accent a mirror of Lucifer’s. She had liked the sound of it and assumed the accent about one hundred Earth years ago. “However, the kittens are hungry and they want more souls to play with. If I do this, the next three thousand souls are mine unless they belong to those Lucifer doesn’t wish to harm, or if they are tagged specifically. Some of the young ones need to learn how to hunt, and I wouldn’t wish to challenge Lucifer by using some of the servants as target practice.”

“It is a deal.”

With that, Dromos walked down the Halls into the rooms of ‘Eternal Punishment,’ or ‘administrative duty’ as Lucifer called it sometimes.

“Loki?”

She emerged from the shadows, as unpredictable as a thousand earthquakes, but Dromos knew them well enough. Loki was shorter than him, their hair was like fire, red with yellow streaks, his eyes were poison-green, her smile wide and mad. The scars around his eyes were fading, but near the vermillion border remained the marks where the thread had pierced his skin. Dromos did not judge the gods, that was not his task, but he was always surprised just how cruelly they treated each other. He knew Lucifer did not like it, but then, the Lord of Hell was the one to have suffered the most. Nobody else could have survived the agony He put his own son through… apart from the Goddess.

“Yes, darling?” said Loki in English before continuing in Norse. _“How may I be of service? Anything to be freed of paper.”_

Dromos looked around and grinned. What better punishment for the God of Chaos to receive than the most orderly of tasks in Hell?

“He gave you a soul.”

 _“Oh, I know,”_ whispered Loki. _“Tommy Wheeler’s dreams have been dark of late.”_

“If I let you out, will you behave?” asked Dromos.

“Probably not,” replied Loki in Dromos’ native tongue, his lips wider than ever.

“Lucifer is in danger and I must warn him,” said Dromos. Loki may be shorter than Dromos, but the news made him uncoil like a snake, which made her seem taller and much more dangerous. “Can I count on you to help Anubis and Hades?”

“ _’T will be a pleasure to measure/_

_prowess and enjoy leisure/_

_with the jackal and the hyde/_

_gloomy and pride/_

_The maiden’s bane and Osiris’ bastard child.”_

“Loki,” sighed Dromos. “Please.”

_“Oh, Lightbringer’s third/_

_now proud Hell’s laird/_

_unfavored yet loyal and thick/_

_like a dog beneath the stick.”_

“Kerb,” muttered Dromos, and she was immediately by his side. “ _Stick_ with him. If he misbehaves, tell his son Fenrisúlfr what Loki thinks of his bretheren.”

Loki scowled, “ _You would not dare._ ”

“Behave and I won’t.”

Loki bowed mockingly, _“As you wish, my lord.”_

With that he walked out, Kerb following at his heels.

Dromos sighed and wondered how he would get to the surface without losing to much time. He had planned on asking Loki to show him the path using Yggdrasil, but when he was being like this, it annoyed Dromos too much to think properly.

Thick indeed.

 _“And?”_ asked Loki, still in the room and Dromos barely suppressed a flinch. Only Lucifer and a handful of others could see through the God of Mischief’s illusions. _“How about a deal? I show you the way, and after you return, I stay free of this hell.”_

“What hell?” asked Dromos, knowing better than to assume anything when Loki spoke.

Loki smiled as she always did when someone saw through their ambiguity, “The hell of this cage of papers and numbers and ‘budgeting.’” He spat the last word.

“Under one condition.”

_“Yes?”_

“Of the thousand jests and pranks you would do with Lucifer in charge, only do the least harmful one.”

He knew better than to stop chaos, but he could curb it.

“Deal,” said Loki with a broad smile and offered their hand. Dromos took it.

_“This might sting a little.”_

* * *

With a groan, Dromos woke up in the body of the human who had told him about Lucifer. His strange body hurt while the arteries unclogged and that weird sensation of blood coursing through empty veins returned causing the brain to heal from the damage… it was a familiar sensation, though he had not possessed anyone in over a thousand years.

He was alone.

Good.

That made it easier. Nobody had heard of the human’s death yet. People did not react well to the return of the dead. Sometimes they even attacked. Taking a look around the rooms owned by the human, he found a small bedroom, something that could be a modern fireplace ( _kitchen_ , his mind supplied), a television (he knew that one very well), but the whole place was small, almost stiffling; he preferred his quarters back in Hell over this.

It did not matter. He would not stay for long anyway. He left the rooms and was in the halls where he met an elderly woman.

“Mr. Kelly,” said she. “How good to see you. How are you today?”

“Well, ” he replied. “I need to find my master.”

“I’m sorry, what?” she frowned.

“My master Lucifer, I need to find him,” he repeated.

“You are drunk, Mr. Kelly,” said she sternly. “Go back to your apartment and sleep it off.”

“I didn’t drink, foolish woman,” hissed Dromos. “I have to go to-“ Lucifer had told him where he planned on going. “-The Angels.” That did not sound right. “Die Engel.” No. “Les Anges.” Closer. “Gli Angeli.”

“Los Angeles, dearie?” said she.

“Yes, thank you,” he exclaimed. “How do I get there?”

“I would call my daughter. She’s always arranging everything when I travel somewhere, especially when we traveled across the pond eight years ago. I still have the packing list she prepared for me. Wait here.”

He did.

She walked slowly, however, and it took far too long until she returned.

“Here,” said she handing over a list.

He had not read English in a while, but he managed to decipher it.

_Essentials._

_Toiletries._

_Clothes._

_Miscellaneous._

“Passport,” he muttered, having no idea what this could be. Was this a permit? “If I don’t understand all of these terms, where can I get an internet?” He distinctly remembered internet. It had damned no small number of human souls to Hell. Apparently, it gave answers as well.

“Oh, my, you should really sleep that off, you know.”

“Please,” he begged her. “Please, help me. My l-father is in danger.”

“Oh,” said she. “Come on then. I didn’t know your father lived in America.”

“He…moved there five years ago.” Lucifer told him not to lie, but he also taught him to bluff and know what not to say.

“Let me call my daughter,” said she, her eyes mirroring Lucifer’s expression when he talked to those who should not have gone to Hell. “She’ll know what to do.”

“Thank you.”

_Hang on, Lucifer. I will be with you soon._


	2. By the Roadside, Along the Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected visitor is seen at Astra. Lucifer is hungry and worried. Thankfully, he has a lot of friends these days. The BAU is called to a new case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the support for this new story. I will soon respond to all the comments, simply have not had the time yet.
> 
> I hope your week was okay and that this update will cheer you up :)

_IN THE HANDS OF MAN_

_He who creates a poison, also has the cure._   
_He who creates a virus, also has the antidote._   
_He who creates chaos, also has the ability to create peace._   
_He who sparks hate, also has the ability to transform it to love._   
_He who creates misery, also has the ability to destroy it with kindness._   
_He who creates sadness, also has the ability to to covert it to happiness._   
_He who creates darkness, can also be awakened to produce illumination._   
_He who spreads fear, can also be shaken to spread comfort._   
_Any problems created by the left hand of man, can also be solved with the right,_   
_For he who manifests anything, also has the ability to destroy it._

― **Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem**

* * *

It was a beautiful Tuesday night at Astra. Gospel nights drew a rather different patronage than Lucifer was used to; in average about thirty years older than his patrons back in LA, with much less focus on carnal desires and much more interest in music and the opportunity to talk, gossip and relax (some had even suggested to do a bake sale in his club, which he had flat-out refused, because he was the devil and had standards, thank you very much... after anonymously donating half of what they were going for with that bake sale). That was not to say that there was no sex on Tuesday nights, on the contrary: some of these elderly ladies and gents were all too willing, wonderful partners; he had even managed to make Frank blush that one time, and he cherished the memory.

It was quiet tonight. The choir had already gone home, Director Daniel had bid goodnight, and the only members remaining were Frank – who had, together with Ryan and Agent Morgan, disappeared into Lucifer’s office where they were discussing their plans regarding that nest for larval humans Ryan wanted to build – _youth center, Lucifer_ – and young Ms. Lawrence who was presumably doing something far too responsible like completing her homework near her father.

There were not many patrons left, most had already finished eating and gone home. That was not too bad; after all, Ryan was visiting and he had indicated his interest in indulging the ‘with benefits’ part of their friendship - and Lucifer approved wholeheartedly. Still, he would not have minded fulfilling another person’s desire tonight. He felt very energized.

And that was when he felt eyes on him, and Light.

An unmistakable, tentalizing Light.

“Detective Decker,” exclaimed Lucifer turning his head toward her, but his hands remained on keys of his piano grand. “That, I did not expect. How are you?”

She looked as radiant as that first time he had seen her. Her Light was positively enthralling. She did not exactly smile, but there was a hint of it that was encouraging.

“Hey, Mr. Mor-“ she stopped speaking.

“Lucifer, please, detective,” said he softly.

“Right. I wanted to return something,” said she, reached into her back and handed over Oscar’s notebook.

“I didn’t lend you the book, detective, I gave it to you,” frowned Lucifer. He never asked people to return gifts he had given freely and without a deal, just like he never went back on a deal.

“I know, I know,” said she, her grip tightening on the book as a sign of discomfort (or so Agent Prentiss had told him). “It taught me a lot. He was brilliant.”

“But?”

“But I think it means a lot more to you than it ever could mean to me, so there you go.” Again she offered the book, this time more forcefully, and Lucifer gently grasped it. Memories of Oscar flooded him and the all too familiar ache of losing a lover to the bane of time gnawed on him.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her eyes soft and worried, her Light brightening, not unlike a celestial being offering comfort. It was almost familiar. Was she from a demigod-line? It had to have been a powerful one to last through the ages like that; and one that contained much more Light than most. Or was she in divine favor? If so, it was not very obvious.

“I’m fine, thank you,” said he. “Thank you for returning the book.”

The silence stretched, and he continued, “I cannot imagine that you came all the way to DC to return a book.”

“You’re right, I didn’t,” she confessed immediately, looking a bit embarassed. “It’s stupid.”

“Oh, this is bound to be interesting, detective. Tell me, what is it that you desire?” said he, carefully dosing the amount of energy he put behind the words. His power was growing, and he had to be careful when he tapped into his influence over people’s desires. After all, free will took precedence over playfulness.

Her eyes widened for the fraction of a moment, but then, just like last time, she shook it off, “I desire to not have this conversation.”

He exhaled. Short of divine interference, nothing blocked his powers; free will did not mean you could effortlessly refuse his inquiries. This had Dad’s handprints all over it (metaphorically speaking), but she seemed unaware of it.

“My original question is a fair one, though, wouldn’t you say?” he challenged, appealing to logic rather than emotion.

“It is,” said she. “I wanted to see you because I wanted to… you know, given how I reacted. It wasn’t right.”

“You already apologized, detective, back in LA. It is all well and good, no hard feelings. I know what the proof of my existence can do to people,” said Lucifer.

“I still antagonized you, while you… didn’t harm me,” she continued. “That wasn’t fair.”

“Again, perfectly understandable, and yet, this still doesn’t tell me why you are in DC,” he continued. “Given how much you don’t want to tell me, the reason must be amusing.”

This time, she almost smiled, but hid the expression by turning her head away. It was charming. “It’s stupid. A few weeks ago, I was in the bank with my daughter when a robbery took place. I was off-duty.”

“And you stopped them single-handedly,” concluded Lucifer.

“Yeah,” said she. “It snowballed from there. First local news, then state news, then we got a call from the governor and a state senator, and now I’m here.”

“Will you be rewarded?” asked Lucifer, delighted to hear the news.

“Yes, and I have to give a speech in front of congress about women in the force, together with the Police Chief.”

“Chief Monroe is also in the city. Perfect. I hope she brought her husband,” grinned Lucifer. “He sounded interested when I called him, and their relationship is solid enough to invite a third party.”

Her eyes widened, “Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that last one.”

“Certainly,” said Lucifer, “but why did it snowball? I mean, yes, it’s a great deed, but there is something about the story that seems incomplete.”

She stared at him. “Is this part of your skillset? Seeing through people’s omission?”

“Omission is actually quite tricky,” admitted Lucifer. “You lie, I know. You keep a secret, I may know, but not necessarily. However, I’ve been in regular contact with profilers and now, my dear detective, you are deflecting.”

“Okay, you got me,” she chuckled. “In my early twenties, before I became a cop, I tried my hands on acting.”

“Overnight sensation? Starlet? But no, that doesn’t seem right,” frowned Lucifer. “But you were a celebrity in your younger years.”

“Y-No, not really, but my mother is, and because my mother is, my acting attempts were noted,” said she, “and they dug all of that up after I stopped that robbery.” She looked terribly uncomfortable.

“Decker,” said Lucifer slowly, then he remembered. “Penelope Decker? Queen of ‘80s cheeseball sci-fi? Oh, that’s marvelous,” he exclaimed, utterly delighted. “Why on Earth changing careers then?”

“Because my dad was a cop,” said she seriously, “and he died.”

Excitement drizzled away, “I am sorry to hear that, detective. You obviously cared for him.”

That made her chuckle, “You can’t say the same, I guess.”

“It’s hard to care for someone who nearly destroyed you; father or not,” replied Lucifer. “Now, let’s not spoil a beautiful evening with talks about fathers. Can I invite you for a drink? A talk that doesn’t involve parents? Sex?”

She scoffed, “Seriously?”

“’Yes’ to all three, then?” Lucifer smiled. She was tentalizing, and all she had to do was say the word and he would give her a night to remember, but it quickly became obvious that this was not the case.

“’Hell No’ to the last, and pun intended,” said she firmly, which made him laugh unexpectedly. This was strange. Usually, those like Detective Decker had trouble handling his real identity. But then she had a year to overcome her shock, and he had never had a gap this long between devil reveal and seeing a non-believer-turned-celestial-insider again, so he could not tell for sure. “Non-alcohlic, please,” she continued, awkwardly leaning against the piano as if afraid of touching it. Lucifer smiled, rose from his seat, nodded to Micha who was within earshot and who immediately went to the bar to get the drinks, while Lucifer guided her to the team couch. Apart from Agent Morgan, no team member was at the club, so this was as good of a place as any to sit down.

“Thank you, Micha,” said he, as he took his own (alcoholic) and Detective non-alcoholic drinks.

“So, when will you be talking to congress, which is a big thing, isn’t it?” said he. To him, it made little difference what person he talked to. They were all human, although he made shameless use of his political connections.

“In a couple of days. I came here earlier in order to prepare,” said she.

“And to see me,” smiled Lucifer.

“Oh no, no, no, no,” she denied, but the faint coloring of her cheeks told him that this was the case. Before he could pounce on that reaction, however, he was distracted by the arrival of his humans. Agent Morgan, Frank, Ryan and Ms. Lawrence were approaching. He could see how Agent Morgant startled at the sight of the detective, while the other three were oblivious.

“Lucifer,” said the pubescent human in a tone that indicated she wanted something. “I need your help.”

“Yes?” said he, turning toward her.

“Physics question,” she began, unceremoniously sitting down next to him while she unpacked her homework. Then she looked up straight at the detective, “Oh sorry, I didn’t see you-“

“Detective Decker,” said Agent Morgan barely suppressing a grin over the teenager’s tunnel vision. “It’s good to see you again. These are Frank Lawrence, his daughter Michelle and Ryan Turner.”

“Nice to meet you,” said she, but she sounded surprised and Lucifer turned his attention from Frank who was leaning over from behind the couch rather than sitting down (indicating that the Lawrence family would leave soon), to look at the detective. She was looking from person to person as if trying to figure out something, and oh-

“They all know,” said he softly. Even the pubescent human knew. Frank had told her, and talked her through it. She had only refused to come to one gospel night, and had then returned with an apology cake - a ‘Fudgie the Whale’ with the lines _“I fudgied up. I am sorry.”_

“Know what?” frowned Ryan, sitting down to Lucifer’s left.

“About me,” said he in response.

“Oh, you know as well?” asked Ryan. He sounded surprised and suddenly cautious.

“Yeah,” said Detective Decker breathlessly, “I know since we met back in LA. I didn’t react well.”

Ryan’s right hand snuck onto Lucifer’s thigh, and he squeezed gently, “It happens.”

“And now you’re cool with it like the rest of us,” said Ms. Lawrence impatiently. “Now, Lucifer, math.”

“I thought it was physics, and shouldn’t you be asking your father?” frowned Lucifer.

“I surpassed my dad’s skills in that area years ago,” said Ms. Lawrence. “He always told me that I can always come to him for anything except math and physics.”

“Guilty as charged,” said Frank nonchalantly.

“But… That makes no sense,” said Lucifer, utterly baffled. “You are a brilliant musician. You hear harmonies on a level just short of divine aptitude. How can mathematics even bother you?”

“I thought the two had nothing in common?” asked Agent Morgan.

“No, Dr. Reid said that music is like math,” contradicted Lucifer. “Music is much more than that, but when you know harmonies, you know mathematics and physics.”

The agent nodded before looking at Michelle, “Hey, kid. I wouldn’t ask him if I were you. The last time he explained something to Reid, I had to listen to a three-hour lecture the next day about just how brilliant Lucifer’s approach to physics is… It took Reid a night to decipher Lucifer’s explanation and let me tell you, working with a genius suffering from sleep deprivation ain’t fun.”

“What’s the problem?” asked Ryan, leaning over Lucifer to look at her books. One quick glance and he said, “Oh, that’s easy.” He rose from his seat, gestured Lucifer to move aside, and sat down to Lucifer’s right, their legs touching, and a wave of fondness overcame the devil. Only a month ago, the captain would not have been this demonstrative. He enjoyed every bit of Ryan’s attention. While the captain explained the trivial matter to Ms. Lawrence – 43.2 Ampere and 3.2 kW was the answer, and oh, she just calculated it wrong, but Ryan noticed it a few steps down the line – he was listening to Detective Decker telling the reason for her visit to Agent Morgan.

She was three times as bright as the four others combined, but with Ryan’s leg pressed to him, Frank’s rumbling voice right by his ear, and Agent Morgan smiling at him, he found that her brightness did not quite make up for the warmth he was feeling now. It was a little bit like the cold LED lights at Lux compared to the more old-fashioned, warmer lights he used to illuminate Astra. Ordinarily, he would have followed a Light like Detective Decker’s to the edges of the world, but he now realized that he did not really want to.

The group talked about this and that, Detective Decker made full use of the power of job-related alliteration by _detecting_ the new ring on his finger. He readily told her about getting married in Vegas. It was such a quaint, utterly corny story. Given who her mother was, she had to appreciate the humor of it all.

“Okay, people, I gotta go to bed. I have a ton of paperwork, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Hotch has a case for us tomorrow,” said Agent Morgan, and bid them goodnight. Shortly after, a triumphant squeal and exclamations of gratitude announced the departure of Frank and Ms. Lawrence, leaving only the detective, Lucifer and Ryan, and again, the devil had the feeling like he could jump out of his own skin.

When Detective Decker announced her departure, he wanted to ask her to stay, because she was so very bright, and it calmed him, and he really wanted to-

Ryan’s inquisitive but non-judgmental gaze kept him from saying anything. Once they were alone, he looked at his friend and said, “Benefits?”

The man laughed in response and offered his hand. Shortly after, they were in the elevator, but not doing any fun stuff just yet. Instead, Ryan asked about the detective and the book.

“You knew Oscar Wi-of course, you did,” laughed Ryan. “Damn, no wonder their list of questions has gotten so long. What was he like?”

“Very thoughtful, born in the wrong place at the wrong time, but then, from pain stems true art, so who knows?” said Lucifer. “Being at peace with himself might have hampered that brilliance. For a man of his time in that specific society, he was certainly inventive.”

“He was one of your-damn, no pressure, huh?” said Ryan ruefully.

“Pressure? I wouldn’t mind some- but what are you talking about?” He knew, though. This was certainly not the first time he had had this conversation. It had been a while since he had to tell these things to a friend, however. “I remember every lover I’ve ever been with in detail, Ryan. Every single one. I’ve had utterly erotic nights, awkward nights, funny nights, all of the above with one lover, or something else entirely with another. Each Light is unique. I don’t compare. You are my friend. You are one of my favorite people. If me having other lovers bother you, then-“

A kiss effectively silenced him.

“It’s not that, never that. I know that.”

“Then what?” asked Lucifer.

“You are immortal,” was all he said.

“And?” he prompted him. “Is it the number of lovers-“

“No, you lovely angel,” interrupted him Ryan. “This is just me and my lizard brain telling me that I must be an ant to your sun.”

“I don’t like that analogy,” said Lucifer immediately. “It’s one step away from ants and suns and magnifying glasses, and that’s not at all what this is.”

Ryan’s smile disappeared, “Again, this is not what I’m saying. Not even close. I… you always seemed bigger than life, and now I have proof, is all. And I couldn’t ask for a better friend and lover… I’m just being selfish wanting the sun all to myself tonight.”

Lucifer grinned in response, “It _is_ night. The sun’s all yours for the next couple of hours.”

* * *

It was utterly brilliant. The man was _fit_ , and Lucifer was so hungry for his touches, his moans and whispers, and he did not want the night to end.

“Okay, I surrender, I surrender, wow” exclaimed Ryan breathlessly, leaning back into the bed, looking utterly exhausted. “Thank you, but I need a moment or two.”

Horrified, Lucifer noticed how he seemed more than just exhausted; he seemed drained, and on the verge of falling asleep. Had he taken too much? Was he unwell? Lucifer had known about increasing power levels since Woodland, but he had never actively taken energy from a lover.

He was _so_ hungry.

“Hey, hey, hey,” whispered Ryan, putting his hand on Lucifer’s cheek, “where are you going? The sun shouldn’t be hiding in dark places.”

“No, but the sun burns humans if it goes unchecked,” said Lucifer, horror coursing through him.

“Well, you didn’t burn me, not my kink anyway, but-“ he yawned, “Wh’t’re ye, too tired, let’s just…” He groaned as he turned to grab his phone, selected a number. “Hi, Candy? Your husband needs you. G’dnight.” With that he put the phone in Lucifer’s lap, leaned over to kiss him, before he fell asleep, snoring like he always did after a good tumble in the sheets.

_“Lucifer?”_

“I’m hungry,” was all he said. Three months of marriage and their arrangment (him keeping her club afloat and protecting her business from Las Vegas loan sharks, and her listening to him when he felt a bit empty after a lover had left him without saying goodbye) was still going on strong.

 _“Not for food, I guess,”_ said she calmly. _“This is Ryan, though. You like him. You know he’ll be there tomorrow and will be back.”_

“I drained him,” confessed Lucifer.

 _“Drained as in- I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like the sex talk, and the two of you are a dream come true to anyone but the most extreme ends of the Ace spectrum,”_ to which she belonged, as charmingly strange as it was and still amazed him, “ _but I don’t think you’re talking about_ that _.”_

“Well-“ Before he could make the comment that wanted to slip out, he heard Dr. Linda’s voice in the back of his head ( _“Don’t deflect, Lucifer. You use your relaxed and uncomplicated attitude toward sex as a shield to avoid important topics. Thankfully, you’re now surrounded by people who don’t let you do that, but please, try catching yourself when you do and be honest with yourself and the people around you.”_ ), and amended, “when I took Foyet, Raphael swore he saw the Lightbringer. A glimpse only, and not nearly as bright, but he saw what I’ve been noticing. I’m getting stronger, Candy. Energy feeds to power first.” It was a mantra, his merciless reminder that he would never fully heal. No amount of energy could restore the Lightbringer, and therefore his angelic form was ruined forever.

_“So, what you’re saying is that your depleted energy sources want to be restored and you’re hungry.”_

“Precisely, but for complete restoration of my energy levels, I would have to drink the universe,” said Lucifer, suddenly frustrated. “I cannot go about draining people for their Light.”

_“Can you do that?”_

“I gave the L-“

 _“But you wouldn’t,”_ she interrupted firmly.

“Well, ask Ryan. He’s currently dead to the world.”

 _“And very satisfied and happy, I am sure,_ ” said she. _“Is his Light less than before?”_

Lucifer looked at Ryan’s sleeping form, taking in his appearance, seeing his Light, as strong as ever.

“No, he’s okay.”

_“Good. See? You have more control than you think.”_

“You don’t understand.” How could he possibly explain without demonstrating that he was currently so desperate for Light that humans looked like desserts to him? Worse, that he might forget that they were not for the taking. Nobody consented to having their energy drained.

 _“Perhaps not,”_ said she before she fell silent.

“What are you doing?”

_“Ringing up your brother.”_

“No, Candy, he doesn’t-“ he protested half-heartedly, but she was right, of course she was, and only moments later, the unmistakable – wonderful, encompassing, comforting – warmth of a worried nestling calling for Lucifer filled his entire being. “Thank you.”

“Talk to you tomorrow, hun, good night,” said she happily.

“Sweet dreams, my dear,” said he in return.

_‘Lucifer?’_

Lucifer exhaled shakily. He had not realized how much he needed his little brother’s prayer until his voice filled his aching chest.

_‘Something is wrong, brother.’_

_‘What are you talking about? Do you want me to come over?’_

Lucifer did not take the offer, and instead told him what was going on.

_‘And don’t tell me it’s “normal.” I know it’s normal. I know who I am, but I cannot be a taker around humans, I would hurt them.’_

_‘One of these days, I will hurt Amenadiel and Michael for convincing you of that.’_

_‘You?’_ Lucifer scoffed. His baby brother was a fierce healer and you better not step between him and a patient, but actively hurting others for the sake of punishment was not in his nature.

 _‘Or I will tell someone to do it for me_ ,’ was all Raphael said to that. _‘My point being, brother: don’t be afraid of being hungry. I trust you. Your friends trust you. You’d never hurt an innocent, and if you feel desperate, just call me. It is in the best interest of humanity, my patients, to make sure the Lightbringer gets his energy.’_

 _‘That makes me sound like a child being cranky for not getting its juice,’_ growled Lucifer.

_‘Not a child, but you are hurting and you are a patient. Let me help you.’_

Everything in Lucifer balked at the thought. This was Raphael. He should be taking care of him, not vice versa. Raphael was still young (so much younger now. So much. The years in Hell had stretched them apart even further; even Amenadiel seemed young and naïve these days, like an illtempered pubescent human, and Lucifer had no patience for it). Then he looked at Ryan who was fast asleep, but who also seemed happy and sated, and not at all drained.

 _‘I will,’_ he promised.

Lucifer leaned back, and let his brother tell him about his day. He was currently in South Sudan battling disease on multiple fronts. He seemed well, though, needed and respected. Lucifer in return talked about his last case and Astra.

 _‘So, that was Candy_ ,’ said Raphael, sounding both curious and hilariously peeved for not being invited to the wedding.

 _‘Yes, she’s fierce, isn’t she?’_ Her prayers never failed to reach him.

‘ _Oh yes,’_ a pause, _‘I thought it was all just temporary?’_

 _‘A year, a decade, half a century... What difference does it make? One way or another, we'll get a divorce. Death will part us for sure if nothing else will.’_ He liked Candy. She was a wonderful friend. It was her choice whether or not to stay married. He enjoyed having the possibility to call her, and she kept him on his toes.

_‘Lucifer.’_

That just sounded too much like pity.

_‘Don't. Dad could have made them immortal. He didn't. I'll live with the consequences.’_

Soon after, they ended their conversation, and Lucifer curled up next to Ryan, feeling better now, less on edge. However, he was too energized to fall asleep.

It was two in the morning.

He really should not.

But he was a selfish devil and called Frank’s number nevertheless. The man picked up, and barely managed to form a sentence. He did not sound angry, though, just worried.

Lucifer did not even know what he wanted, and he remained silent. Into the quiet, he heard the patter of shuffling feet across the room, into the hall, down a flight of stairs, and _yes_ , that was it. That was what he needed.

Soon after, he fell asleep to the soothing sounds of _Feels Like Rain._

* * *

He woke up to Ryan stroking his head.

“Morning,” said Lucifer and smiled.

“Morning.” Ryan looked well-rested and happy. “What scared you last night?”

“I got lost in the moment,” explained Lucifer. “I thought I was taking too much.”

“Too much…”

“Light, I thought I was tapping into your Light. I was, I am-“ Haltingly, he explained what the problem was, and that he was afraid of crossing the line. Ryan listened to him attentively, before saying, “I enthusiastically consented to everything last night. Whenever I think it can’t possibly get better, you-Lucifer, I don’t expect you to be predictable, or even safe, but I trust you not to hurt me. You are a good m-soul. You are so good, and the fact you’re worried, is just another indication of that. I get that this isn’t enough, so let me ask you: what can I do, when I think you get lost?”

“Tell me,” said Lucifer, his chest too tight. “Just… tell me. I don’t ever want to be in a position to harm you.”

“You have my word,” said Ryan, “now, I would love to kiss you, but not before brushing my teeth, and going to the bathroom.”

“Go, take care of your strange bodily functions,” grinned Lucifer, the pressure in his chest loosening. The retired Army captain had barely closed the door behind him, when Lucifer’s phone rang.

“Agent Jareau?”

_“We’ve got a case. It’s urgent and you’re indispensible for this one.”_

“I’m on my way,” sighed Lucifer, rose from the bed and went into his private bathroom – the one without doors and which was twice as big as the bathroom for his guests - where he cleaned up, and got dressed. By the time he was back in the bedroom, Ryan had also gotten ready; he had obviously overheard the conversation and decided to comply with military precision and efficiency.

“Want me to give you a ride?”

“Admit it, you just want to drive my car,” scoffed Lucifer, while wordlessly tossing his keys.

“Of course,” grinned Ryan, catching them. With that, he gave him that promised kiss before they were on their way to Quantico.

“Thank you for calling her,” said Lucifer, “I would have fretted all night if-“

“I’m sorry for passing out on you,” was the chagrined reply gently pushing the engine to the speed limit. The ride was smooth as if on rails.

“Don’t, it happens,” purred Lucifer, hoping that his tone indicated to Ryan that he did not want to talk about this more than absolutely necessary.

“It absolutely does,” laughed Ryan. “Just this one thing: you’re big.”

“More average, really,” said he.

“Nothing’s average about you,” giggled Ryan, blushing charmingly before clearing his throat to sound less ‘schoolboy’ and more ‘retired Army captain’. He was like that sometimes, and Lucifer was tickled whenever it happened. “Not what I mean. You’re big, as in, ‘I-made-all-the-stars-in-the-universe-when-I-was-a-baby’ big. I’m not expecting to keep up. But I’d like to be part of that.”

Confused, Lucifer asked, “Part of what?”

“Part of the people in your life that make your existence less…difficult. Like Frank, Derek, Emily and Hotch. Like Candy, Jana, Penelope, Michelle and Dr. Reid. Like Rossi, Jennifer and her husband…Will, if I remember correctly. Raphael and Muriel, too, but they aren’t human so... If you let me, I want to be a part of that.”

That pressure in his chest was back, but there was really only one way to respond to that, “You already are, and you will be part of that for as long as you’re willing.”

“Then you better be patient. I ain’t leaving.”

“I thought the Marine’s motto is _‘semper fi’_ , or at least that’s what Agent Gibbs taught me.”

“I’m going to pretend that the devil’s information on the United States Marines isn’t restricted to a TV show,” sighed Ryan, but he was unable to hold back that grin.

“I had to start somewhere when I moved here.”

* * *

While Ryan drove off – possibly to work on his plans to open that infernal place of devil torture called _‘Center for Human Puggles’_ – Lucifer entered the building, smiling at Barbara working at the desk. By the time he was in the conference room, everyone else had already shown up, including… Oh, that was unexpected.

“My, my, my, Ms. Garcia, that is an interesting necklace. Where did you get it from?”

“A friend gave it to me,” said Ms. Garcia, grasping the pendant. Its center was a rose quartz surrounded by a thin layer of turquoise and encased in silver laced with tourmalinated quarz.

Harmony, love, pink at the heart.

Femininty, wholeness and wisdom surrounding it.

Silver for the healing and the touramlinated quarz for Light and protection.

This was a personal gift. A gift to protect a friend.

For those who believed in crystal healing, this would be a very thoughtful and precious pendant, but the person who had given it, was gifted. They did not have a lot of power, demigod lines _were_ dying out and she had to come from an old line whose gifts had all but disappeared from the line, but this necklace was true craftsmanship of one who knew how to weave energy into stone.

“Have you been feeling down lately, Ms. Garcia?” frowned Lucifer. Gifted souls did not make pendants like that for no reason. This had cost a lot of time and effort.

“What? No, I’ve been all-“ she looked at Agent Hotchner and pressed her lips together. “Okay, I’ve been worried, just a bit, lately, and I told my friend about-why are you asking me that?”

“Because they think you need to be protected. Your friend is gifted.”

“Gifted like a witch?” asked Agent Jareau curiously.

“Does Garcia know someone from a demigod line?” asked Dr. Reid, brimming with excitement. They had not really talked about this since his short trip to Hell. He knew it was on the list, but it had not really come up as a topic.

“Probably,” confirmed Lucifer. “A lot of positive, loving thoughts have been weaved into stone, Ms. Garcia. Thank them the next time you see them. That pendant holds power. Not a lot of it, mind you, it won’t alter the course of time, but it will keep lesser forms of evil at bay.”

“I’ll have six of these, then,” said Agent Rossi lifting his hand.

“It’s personalized. This pendant won’t do you much good, Agent Rossi,” said Lucifer. “Stick with the devil. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Who is it, Garcia?” asked Agent Morgan curiously. “Someone we know?”

“Madam Bouvier? She owns that small shop down in DC. She does psychic readings,” said Ms. Garcia softly. “She’s really lovely.”

“Nobody doubts that, Ms. Garcia,” reassured her Lucifer. “Anyone capable of a protection spell this powerful in this day and age? She must be a marvel.”

“She is, oh, she is!” Ms. Garcia exclaimed, relieved. “She’s fantastic and so lovely. You should meet her.”

“Later,” said Agent Hotchner with that familiar finality that introduced a new case. “JJ, please.”

“Right,” said Agent Jareau, but her eyes flickered between Lucifer and Garcia, as if she would much rather talk about Madam Bouvier than about this case. “Hohenwald, Tennessee, population of 4000, 80 min from Nashville,” she began and clicked to the first slide showing the photos of four bodies and corresponding, current photos of the former inhabitants of said cadavers. “These are Sergeant Major Simon Thomson, 45, a war veteran from Afghanistan, Robert Jackson, 37, Middle School teacher, Judge Cathleen Brown, 62, and Sophie Harlington, 83, widower. They were all found dead in Lewis State Forest. Missing person’s reports were filed for Robert Jackson and Judge Brown the day before their bodies were found, indicating that the UnSub kept them for no more than 24 hours.”

“What about Simon Thomson and Sophie Harlington?”

“Both lived alone, but the neighbors did notice that the sergeant major did not come home the night before. Mrs. Harlington lived a little bit outside and near the forest. Apart from her strict routine – going to the store on Wednesdays and going to church on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, she rarely met with people. She was found on a Monday afternoon.”

“So, she could have been abducted right after the service on Sunday,” suggested Agent Prentiss.

“That’s what the local police is currently discussing. They’re begging for our help,” said Agent Jareau.

“Four murders in such a small town are four good reasons to be worried,” said Agent Rossi.

“Five,” corrected Agent Jareau. “Two days ago, a Christine Lane, nurse, 52, was found near the forest, disoriented and in bad shape. She died in the hospital.”

“What’s the COD?” asked Dr. Reid.

“Respiratory failure. However, Ms. Lane displayed a range of neurological symptoms, and further suffered from internal bleeding, tissue and muscle damage,” concluded Agent Jareau. “Similar lesions were found in the other four.”

“Ouch,” said Agent Morgan. “What caused these symptoms?”

“Here’s where it gets strange. They all showed symptoms consistent with a rattlesnake bite.”

“But bites from the timber rattlesnake, _Crolatus horridus_ , are generally not deadly because no venom is injected. Anually, there are only 12 to 15 deaths due to snake bites in the USA as opposed to the suspected 50,000 deaths worldwide,” said Dr. Reid. “The likelihood of dying from the resulting bacterial infection is higher if left untreated.”

“All correct, but the ME that was called in from Nashville confirmed the initial suspicions and with the help of,” she looked at her notes,” mass spectronomy-”

“Spectrometry,” corrected Dr. Reid apologetically.

“Spectrometry,” she repeated, “they confirmed that it is snake venom containing a lot of ‘phopholipase A2.’ The timber rattlesnake is the most likely suspect, because it’s the most venomous snake in Tennessee.”

“Sure, but snakes? Were there any bites? Is the UnSub injecting the venom?”

“The last case is the most likely,” clarified Agent Hotchner. “They found injection marks in the neck and massive subcutaneous lesions. They suspect that a large volume was injected with a needle rather than a live snake, because that is more easily controlled, and more likely to be deadly.”

“He’s organized,” concluded Agent Prentiss. “What’s the rate?”

“Every three days,” sighed Agent Jareau.

“So, he’s already got his sixth victim,” sighed Agent Morgan. “Day one: abduction and possibly injection of the venom, day two: victim is left to die, day three: stalking of the next victim, and the cycle begins again. That’s fast. No obvious victimology either. This is bad.”

“Precisely, and that’s why we have to get there, fast. The jet is already waiting for us.”

* * *

As always, they did not really discuss the case until they were on the plane. People were too busy gathering their things, and important information might get lost (or at least, that was how Agent Hotchner had explained things to him).

“Even though the UnSub is using venom,” continued Agent Hotchner once he was sure everyone was ready. “We’re dealing with a poisoner. Lucifer, for your information, there are four types.”

“One, the Avenger, the one with a personal vendetta. He feels wronged and uses poison to terrorize whoever he feels a grudge against,” explained Agent Morgan. “Next, the Extortionist-“

“He tampers with a specific product to extort money from a company, which we can probably exclude,” said Agent Prentiss. “Same with the Prankster, younger offender who doesn’t mean any harm.”

“Definitely not a Prankster. So that leaves us with the Avenger, which is why we must look at the victimology,” concluded Agent Rossi, “and it also leaves us with the True Believer, a political terrorist or religious cult, wanting to terrorize a specific community.”

“That’s why you insisted on my presence,” said Lucifer. “You think that it’s the True Believer.”

“I do, but that’s not the only reason. We’ll be walking into a religious minefield,” said Agent Hotchner.

“Cult?”

“Complicated,” said Agent Jareau. “Hohenwald has many churches, mostly evangelical, but one group is of particular interest. _‘The Apostolic Movement,’_ a small church loosely associated with Pentecostalism. They are an ultaconservative evangelical parish and, while they are a minority in town, they are a very loud voice in daily life.”

“That can happen,” said Agent Morgan. “Why minefield?”

“We are going to the Bible Belt. Everyone has a religion there, mostly Christian and especially evangelical beliefs. However, there is also an openly practicing witch coven in town.”

All eyes were on Lucifer, “Yes?”

“Real or not?” asked Agent Prentiss.

“I’m sure they are a real coven. It _is_ a religion and like any religion, they are probably both right and very, very wrong about reality,” said Lucifer. “Sure, there are always those who pretend to believe, because they want to belong and/or feel special, but there is no indication that they are false believers.”

“We know that. We’re not asking you about their religious beliefs, we’re talking about… the occult.”

“The occult,” laughed Lucifer. “What do you want to know about ‘the occult’?”

“Can they do spells?”

“Again, it always depends. Ms. Garcia’s friend, for example, she holds power, not a lot of it, but she does. Most witches, Wiccans, are regular people without the slighest bit of power of their own.”

“I hear a ‘but,’” said Agent Prentiss.

“And a lovely one, too,” grinned Lucifer, but he continued. “Abrahamic beliefs and any other faith that directly addresses the celestial family, regardless which form, have the distinct disadvantage that… nothing or little will come from prayer. The old gods had much more of a hands-on approach, mostly because Dad did not explicitly forbid them mingling with Earth’ past and present inhabitants; however, they have mostly left Earth when monotheist beliefs took over and they lost their congregations… and because their infighting was getting out of hand. Long story, anyway, what I’m trying to say, is: Most gods and their associates have left, but not all, and what I guess can broadly be summarized to ‘nature religions’ are attractive to the ones who remained.”

“Ancient gods?” repeated Agent Rossi.

“Hardly,” replied Lucifer, amused. Humans had really strange thoughts sometimes. The gods had not roamed the Earth in so long, with few exceptions. “Some of their companions might have, though.”

“Such as?”

“Faeries, other nature spirits. Pick any mythology and you’ll find something. Not every covent has a guardian, but the powerful ones? They most certainly do. It’s tricky, though. All these warnings that exist concerning dark magic? You’ve already met daimons. They’re not all benevolent. Or safe. Even the ones that mean well. They are not human. I’ll know more once we’re there.”

“Bottom line: most witch covens are like a regular church, there are some that can make things happen, but only if they have a supernatural guardian,” summarized Agent Morgan.

“Or if a member of a demigod line is a part of it,” concluded Dr. Reid, looking very excited about it all.

“That is accurate,” confirmed Lucifer.

“Wicca is a relatively new religion based on very old beliefs,” said Dr. Reid. “Some scholars suggest it’s a New Age movement, but it has been disputed by its practioners.”

“Heaven forbid if pagan beliefs were based on anything but barbaric rituals,” sneered Lucifer. “Not saying that there aren’t pretentious false believers in the group, the ones that believe their way is the only true way, and every other religion is just another archaic power structure out to get them… Hypocrits have always found a haven in church, but the majority are just faithful people trying to abide by Celestial Laws like every other living creature. They just call it Wiccan Rede.”

“Thank you,” said Agent Hotchner. “That is not the only reason why I wanted you with us.”

“Satanists,” exclaimed Agent Morgan suddenly, looking up from the file. “There is a Satanist congregation in town as well? Busy place. No wonder you called it a minefield. Snakes are highly symbolic in nature religions, Christianity and Satanism… I guess.” He then looked at Lucifer, who shrugged.

“Theist or atheist?” was all he asked. It mattered. It always mattered. He could deal with both, but usually the atheist Satanists were more aware of his preferences. The theists always wanted to worship him, especially once they realized that their chosen patriarch was much more powerful than they originally thought. The atheists were… strange, but they truly upheld his personal ideas on independent thought and free will.

“I’m not sure,” said Agent Hotchner, obviously having expanded his knowledge on Satanism since dealing with yours truly. “The local police couldn’t give me this information. I was wondering… How come you don’t receive their prayers?”

“The atheist don’t really believe in my existence, so their focus is inward, not outward. Prayer takes focus, and if you don’t believe in a corporal devil, your prayers veer off. Now, the theists… I have long ago stopped listening to human prayer, because I’m usually invoked for less than pleasant wishes. True theist satanists are a small group of people and their voices are drowned out by those who invoke me to justify their own depravity.”

They were all quiet after that, but then Agent Rossi mentioned that, into a tense situation like they were about to face, even introducing him as ‘Mr. Morningstar’ may not be the best idea.

“Refer to me as ‘Lou Fletcher,’” suggested Lucifer casually. When their heads all turned to him, he elaborated. “Azrael has called me Lu since she was a babe. I am married. It’s not a lie.”

“Lou Fletcher it is,” confirmed Agent Hotchner, moments before the pilot announced that they would be landing at John A. Bakerfield Airport where government cars and Police Chief Mayfield was already waiting.

Introductions were barely made when Chief Mayfield said, “Good, we have John Miller in custody. He’s the Satanic leader in town.”

“Why?” asked Agent Morgan, utterly surprised and less than happy.

“His kind, they can’t be trusted,” sneered the man.

“Actually, we have yet to have a confirmed case of a Satanic ritual killing,” said Dr. Reid sharply, but did not continue when Agent Hotchner cleared his throat.

“We understand your actions, Chief, but this isn’t helping the situation. We would like to talk to Mr. Miller, however, but make sure he is released from custody beforehand. Forcing him to talk to us will not help. Would you mind showing us the way to the station? I would like to get started as soon as possible. It’s been two days. Let’s avoid a sixth victim.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference:  
> https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/who-and-partners-battle-multiple-disease-outbreaks-in-south-sudan  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber_rattlesnake  
> https://www.livescience.com/43683-rattlesnake.html#:~:text=Most%20people%20bitten%20by%20rattlesnakes,Their%20venom%20is%20extremely%20potent.  
> https://www.tripsavvy.com/snakes-in-tennessee-2475813  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecostalism  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca
> 
> Author's Notes:  
> \- Madam Bouvier is a one-off character in season 10, episode 5 (Boxed In). I loved her, and I loved her dynamics with Hotch. She was utterly amazing, and you all know she would love the team, especially Reid. She would adopt Reid, and flirt shamelessly with Morgan… Yeah, she won’t be in this series a lot, but I had to include her in this crazy crossover.  
> \- The four types of poisoners were mentioned in episode 1x13 Poison.


	3. Above and Beyond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe talks to Father Kinley about her meeting with the devil. Dromos has to handle airport security.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear all,
> 
> Another week is over and I have an update. It's a rather short one, because I found that writing Chloe did not come easy to me. Thank you so much for your continued support.  
> I hope you're all well and healthy.
> 
> Best,  
> -M

On her way to Father Kinley’s apartment, or rather the parish where he had stayed since coming to DC, Chloe remembered that it had been – almost to the day exactly – one year since her world had turned on its axis. It was really strange. Sometimes it seemed like she could not remember a time before she knew of the existence of the devil, and sometimes it felt like she had just witnessed these merciless, red eyes yesterday.

Before she could get lost in thought, her phone rang, “Hey, baby.”

_“Hi, mommy.”_

Trixie’s voice chased away the nightmares, and she so wanted to be near her.

“How was school yesterday?” She had been unable to call her last night, because she had been preparing for her meeting with the devil and even thinking of her daughter could endanger her. He did not know of her existence.

Or he had not.

Until Dan had told Delilah Curtis about Trixie. She was still so angry about that. What was he thinking, talking about their child with the devil’s courtesan? He knew what Curtis affiliated herself with, and Chloe did not want to know about the kind of depravity the former starlet had agreed to in order to become the hostess of Lux. It made her wonder about the influence of the devil in show business. There were rumours after all, and she knew from personal experience how ugly Hollywood could be with young actresses and singers. Without her mother’s influence, she would not have managed to step a foot into the business without having to do things she would rather not think about. Father Kinley had not looked into that too closely. He knew of the devil’s influence on politics and wars, the ‘cesspool’ – as he called Hollywood – did not hold any interest to him.

 _“Good. We started with multiplications. I was really, really good at it,”_ said Trixie proudly.

“Fantastic, well done. Now, you get ready for school, okay? You can’t be missing school.”

_“Like you’re missing work?”_

She was getting sassier by the day.

“Honey, I’m not missing work. I’m actually here for work. This is just some silly little thing your mommy has to do to make Chief Monroe happy.”

 _“It’s a big thing,”_ said Trixie. _“Dad said so.”_

“You’re right, honey, absolutely,” admitted Chloe. “It’s very important, I just feel silly doing so, and I’m a bit nervous about talking in front of all these people.”

Or she would have been, before.

She would have done a lot of things, before.

 _“You don’t have to be nervous, Mom,”_ said Trixie. _“I’ll think of you really hard, like you do when I have to talk in front of the class and you’ll be fine.”_

She could hear her daughter’s smile, “I love you, baby.”

_“Love you, too. Do you want to talk to Dad?”_

“Yes, please,” said Chloe. “You get ready.”

 _“Hey, Chloe_ ,” said Dan softly, and a strange yet familiar mix of fondness and irritation coursed through her; fondness for the good father he tried to be despite their separation and irritation for his lack of support when it came to ridding the world of the devil.

“Hi, Dan.”

 _“How’s the speech coming along_?”

Aggravated, Chloe exhaled sharply, “You know that’s not what I’ve been doing.”

 _“Please, Chloe,_ please _, let it go. He moved out of the city. He lives in DC; just let him be.”_

“How can you say that?” asked Chloe appalled. “He’s the devil. Do you really think it will make the slightest difference whether he lives in DC, LA or on the other side of the planet? DC’s worse than any other place I can come up with! Think of the influence he might have already gained in our government. Somebody has to stop him.”

Dan was quiet, and Chloe knew that silence. It was the same silence that had followed that disastrous case with Malcolm; he did not believe her. When he spoke, he was merely indulging her.

 _“But is it_ your _job to stop him? You’re-he’s not human, and I doubt that being a damn good cop from LA is going to be more than a mild annoyance to him. You have no jurisdiction in DC-“_ He stopped, and switched topic. _“What about the FBI? Do they still work with him?”_

“Yes, he’s their civilian consultant. There also seems to be a personal connection. I saw Agent Morgan last night,” answered Chloe.

 _“Wait, you went to see him?”_ asked Dan, utterly aghast. _“Did you think about Trixie?”_

“Did _you_ think of her when you chatted up Delilah Curtis the other day?”

 _“I didn’t chat her up,”_ Dan defended himself immediately. _“We talked. I was assigned to solve the murder of Silvia Clarkson-”_

“Yes, Dan, I know,” interrupted him Chloe impatiently. “Jimmy Barnes conspired to kill Silvia Clarkson to boost record sales and you made the arrest. You told me, remember? You still told Delilah Curtis, a known, close associate of the devil, about Trixie.”

“She was sad about losing her friend. She felt responsible for Silvia Clarkson’s death, and I tried to comfort her. That’s all there was, Chloe.”

“Goodbye, Dan.”

“Chloe-“

She hung up, too angry with him for endangering their child to continue this conversation. She mentally revised last night and everything she had learned.

The devil was married.

His wife lived in Vegas, going by the name Candy – ridiculous name, even for a singer – Fletcher-Morningstar.

He had a male lover on the side. Ryan Turner appeared to be the antithesis of how she imagined Candy: smart as a whip, definitely military-trained if not still in active service, and in the know about the devil’s identity albeit not about his true nature.

What truly surprised her was the inexplicable relationship Lucifer had with Frank Lawrence and his daughter. Michelle appeared to be totally at ease near the devil, and in turn, he managed to hide his true nature long enough not to raise any suspicions. He obviously had plans for her, if not for both. He could be starting a cult, or he was planning on destroying the FBI from the inside out, or both.

She still could not believe that a team of _profilers_ had fallen for the devil’s manipulations, but then it was very likely that Lucifer had taken extra-care to sweet-talk members of the FBI. After all, Father Kinley had evidence – if only circumstantial evidence at best – that he liked to surround himself with beautiful people and/or those of high stature, and if she remembered one thing about the BAU, it was the stunning beauty of a least two of its members, and she had looked them all up: Agent Rossi was a bestseller author with considerable influence in the FBI, Agent Hotchner was rising the career ladder, Agent Prentiss was the daughter of an ambassador, Dr. Reid was hailed a genius and, while she barely found out anything about Penelope Garcia, Ella called her ‘the Queen of Cyberspace’ (‘ _Seriously, Chloe, she’s so good!_ ’), therefore it was very beneficial for the devil to ensare them.

It had obviously worked out for him. And Dan did not really see it; or rather he had seen it, but decided not to do anything about it. Thank God for Fathers Kinley and Engel.

 _“You look frightened, my child_ ,” Father Engel had said in broken English with very strong German accent. _“You’ve come a long way.”_

_“The devil resides in LA. Or he has, for almost five years. He’s now in-“_

_“Central DC, owning a club named Astra, mocking Heaven even further after calling the first club ‘Lux.’”_

_“You already know,”_ she had breathed in return, so very relieved she did not need to explain her terror.

 _“Our order has been watching him for centuries,”_ Father Kinley had answered, his Irish accent prominent. _“He’s unable to hide for long, always has to announce his presence to the world. This is the longest he has spent on Earth, though, and we must find out what evil he’s spreading now.”_

And that was exactly what they had done and were doing now. Thanks to the Vatican’s contacts to various congregations, they managed to retrace at least some of his steps as a ‘civilian consultant.’ For example, they had interviewed a mother and her daughter, both former disciples of the Separatarian Sect, a fringe group from Colorado with more than questionable practices. The young survivor, Jessica Evanson, and her mother had told them about cruel, relentless, red eyes, about his fury and utter lack of mercy. There had also been very loud whispers whenever it came to Lucifer and his connection to the enterainment industry and excess in general, like that time he played the player, the so-called Viper… Although here, it had filled her with no small amount of satisfaction to know that the devil had put the dirtbag in his place. She had needed to talk to that vermin after all, and she had wanted to punch into his sleazy, pretentious face all the way through. Still, she did not really want to know what the devil had taught his new followers on how to treat women.

What was interesting about this case was that it revealed to them some rather massive changes within the team. Agent Jareau had left the team (if only temporarily while on maternity leave) and in her place was Jordan Todd as press liaison. She had only stayed for a few weeks, and Chloe strongly suspected that the devil had played a role in that. There seemed to be little to no lasting connection between the team and their temporary member and it made Chloe wonder what happened. Father Kinley had her contact, but so far they had decided against visiting her out of fear that she might be a trap to show their hand, or if not a trap then someone who might warn the devil about their investigation.

Arriving at the priest’s temporary home, she knocked on the door. It was an old building built for the purpose to house clergymen. A nun, Rachel, opened the door and directly led her to Father Kinley’s study, a humble place with a desk, books and a place to sleep, looking a lot like all the other places he had lived in whenever they stayed somewhere.

“Ah, come in, Chloe,” said Father Kinley and rose from his seat. “I was worried when you didn’t call me yesterday.”

“It took longer than expected,” apologized Chloe. “It was midnight by the time I was back at the hotel and didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Of course,” he accepted immediately. “How did it go? What did the Adversary say?”

“He seemed quite happy to see me,” answered Chloe sincerely. He had; nothing of it was real, of course, but he had looked thrilled to see her. “And before you say anything, I know this is all just a game to him, but he’s a damn good actor.”

“That he is,” agreed Father Kinley. “He’s had millennia to prepare, to learn about humanity and to disguise himself. It is only thanks to his own vanity that we are even able to trace him down. His inability to hide his true nature is our greatest weapon. While you were gone, I contacted several members of the clergy in the city. He revealed himself to them.”

“How?” asked Chloe disbelievingly.

“Unprompted and with the FBI agents you mentioned. It was quite a frightening display. In fact, he showed signs of madness when he ranted along about how there were no cherubin and seraphim, only angels and archangels. That he made the dragons, and that he abhorred the goat metaphors.”

Chloe frowned. This sounded… strangely enough like something Morningstar would probably say. “That doesn’t sound crazy to me. Exasperated, but not crazy.”

“He was accompanied by another non-human entity,” continued Father Kinley, barely acknowledging her comment. “The clergy is still debating about who it was: some say it was the archangel Raphael, others believe it must have been a demon in disguise for no archangel would ever wish to affiliate with the devil.”

“What do you think?” asked Chloe.

“It is difficult to say. Given his inane ramblings, perhaps the healer is there to dispel the madness.”

“Why would he do that?”

“The archangel Raphael is the ultimate healer. If anyone can pity for the devil, feel sympathy for his miserable existence, it is Raphael and God himself,” answered Father Kinley.

“He didn’t seem insane to me,” said Chloe. “The opposite. Last night, he was lucid and chatty, almost… human. If I hadn’t _known_ , I would’ve never guessed. He’s even better at pretending to be human than he used to be.”

“That is frightening.”

“To be fair, he wasn’t really good at it the last time I saw him,” acknowledged Chloe, but then she started to talk about Morningstar taking the book and chatting with her, about the arrival of Agent Morgan, Frank and Michelle Lawrence, the existence of Candy Fletcher-Morningstar and, reluctantly, she mentioned Ryan Turner. Oh, she wanted to help that poor soul; after all, he was nothing but an innocent human soul trapped in the devil’s greedy claws, probably because he was desperate and making a deal with the devil was the only way out. Not that he had seemed desperate. He had looked affectionate. Still, Morningstar had probably pulled wool over Ryan’s eyes. The only reason she mentioned him was in the hopes that they could help him, too.

“The devil is desecrating the holy matrimony, and has a male whore on the side,” repeated Father Kinley. “Of course. It shouldn’t surprise me. He’s the most blasphemous of creatures after all.”

“Ryan Turner’s just another innocent caught up in the devil’s plans,” said Chloe. She had grown up in LA. She had her misgivings about homophobia. Ryan Turner could be with anyone he wanted as long as they were legal. He simply should not be fraternizing with the devil.

“Of course,” the priest placated her and Chloe exhaled sharply in frustration. There was no talking to Father Kinley about these matters. He was not fond of the new directions his church had taken. He was very much a defender of old traditions. While Chloe did not approve of what some of that entailed, she could understand it to a point, given that his work and all his knowledge was based on information gathered centuries past; his respect for those that came before him also meant that he wanted to preserve possibly outdated traditions.

“What do we do about Candy Morningstar?” asked Chloe.

“We will talk to her. Or I will do so alone, should you be busy with your other tasks in the meantime,” said the priest. “Perhaps, not all hope is lost.”

“It’s possible she doesn’t know,” said Chloe.

“It is. But even so, it’s not a stain that is easily removed,” said Father Kinley. “If she repents, perhaps. Let us hope that the marriage ceremony wasn’t some bizarre Satanic ritual.”

“Not from what he told us. It sounded more like your state-of-the-art marriage chapel. One of the classier ones, too, because apparently he “will not stand for getting married in some cheap, round-the-mill chapel.” Then he said something about ‘having standards, thank you very much.’”

“He told you all that?” asked Father Kinley, very surprised.

“Well no. He told Michelle Lawrence who asked him about it.” She had looked so genuinely curious – blatantly abandoning her attempt to solve her physics problem – it was kind of painful to remember. That poor girl should not be involved with the devil.

“The girl,” said Father Kinley gravely, as if reading her mind. “You said he ensnared a gospel choir.”

“Yes, he has. Apparently, they visit his club every Tuesday.”

“Singing gospel?”

“Singing everything really, not too much gospel, I think,” said Chloe. “I can’t tell. The rest of the choir was gone by the time I got there.”

“Do you know the name of the parish? What church are they from?”

“I forgot to ask,” admitted Chloe.

“Understandable. This must have been an ordeal for you.”

“Not as much as you’d think. He wasn’t… I just feel sorry for these people.”

“Welcome to living the life of the clergy,” smiled Father Kinley sadly. “Where we always pity those who lost their way. Thankfully, God is forgiving and no soul is irredeemably lost.”

From what she remembered, the devil would beg to differ, “Only if the devil doesn’t get it first.”

“And that is why we are here, to protect all these souls he’s been collecting,” confirmed the priest. “I will talk to the pastor. It should be easy to find out where that choir is from. In the meantime, you should go back to your room. It is absolutely crucial that you still uphold your duties, and Police Chief Monroe might be looking for you. In the meantime, I will talk to Father Jim Davison. He is a friend of one of the FBI agents, David Rossi. He’s worried about him and wants to help. Yet another ally has joined our midst,” smiled Father Kinley. “I feel the devil will not roam this Earth for much longer. We will keep in touch.”

“Take care,” said Chloe.

“You too.”

* * *

“Thank you for your kind assistance, Mrs. Harrington,” said Dromos genuinely. “I shall repay you and your daughter soon. You’ve been very kind in trying to help my mas-father.”

“Anytime, Mr. Kelly,” said she genially. “I must say that you’ve been the most delightful company despite the circumstances. In fact, I dare say you are much more pleasant these days.”

“I am not pleasant,” protested Dromos sharply. He was a demon, being pleasant was not part of who he was.

“Of course not,” said she, but she was smiling like she was indulging him, a little bit like Mazikeen when he said he would have beaten her in training if she had not relied on using low fighting tactics. “I hope your father will feel better soon.”

It was remarkable how quickly humans shifted their perspective. He distinctly remembered saying that Lucifer was in danger, but her mind seemed to have interpreted that as ‘Mr. Kelly’s father has a health condition’; remarkable creatures, these humans. It was no wonder that Lucifer was so fond of them.

“Thank you, Mrs. Harrington. Give my best to your daughter. I will repay you.”

He would. And he would make sure that the soul whose corpse he had borrowed would get a reprieve. After all, if the man had not acquired an ‘e-passport’ before his all too timely death, it would have taken far too long for him to reach Lucifer in time. He had tried to make a phone call – fascinating invention – but searching the internet for ‘Lucifer in Los Angeles’ had yielded bizarre results, such as strangely colorful books of a blond man that had assumed his lord’s name looking nothing like him. He would find this Morningstar and punish him for the insolence; he would also punish his scribe, Neil Gaiman, for writing down false stories of Hell. Just like he had wanted to punish Dante for his ridiculous work, but no, he had not been sent to his section. He may not have gone to Hell at all; Lucifer had taken the soul-catcher for a reason. There were so many Dromos wanted to punish for disrespecting their lord.

“Call me when you’re back, you silly man,” giggled the elderly woman. “You go through there. That’s the security line.”

What he did next had to be among the most bizarre human rituals he had ever encountered. Well, stranger even than ‘checking in,’ which had taken a lot of time because he had not filled in the ‘API’ and needed to do that before these very sweet and polite ladies handed him the permit to travel Los Angeles. It took so much time, in fact, that people behind him had started to grumble, which in turn, led to Dromos reminding them that patience was a virtue and that all of them should be taking care of their balance. Living humans were much ruder than their dead counterparts.

For this current ritual, he had to discard the bottle of fluid Mrs. Harrington had insisted he brought with him (he still had trouble recognizing hunger and thirst sometimes; these human bodies were strange) before he had to place all his belongings into boxes on a moving band. Then he was told to move through machine where he had to stay still and put up his arms. Then they moved him to a secluded, enclosed space and started to pat him down in unsightly places. By the end of the ritual, he was on the other side and needed to find the right ‘gate of departure.’

This entire procedure caused him to make a mental note, however; this would be an excellent method of torture. An eternal loop filled with thousands of ESTA applications, check-ins and security checks, with the false hope that this would bring them on a transport to Heaven. Apparently, this was the easiest way to travel: Marlen Harrington, Mrs. Harrington’s daughter, had told him that applying for an ‘F1’ or ‘student visa’ was even worse; or if you were from a disfavored country. Yes, that was it. Hell was in disfavor of Heaven, and in order to get there, you had to fill in form after form that never stopped. This sounded like the perfect way to torture someone into madness. He would mention it to Lucifer.

Before he could go to the gate, he was faced with yet another barrier where he was forced to show the husk’s passport and answer questions.

“What’s the purpose for your stay in the United States?”

“I am going to visit my father,” said he. Marlen had told him to give that as an answer.

“How long will you be staying? Do you wish to go home?”

“As long as it is necessary to help him, and I want to return home as soon as possible.” He had duties to perform after all. That was all and they allowed him to go through, which was a lot faster than he had thought. Marlen had told him that entering the United States was not easy.

All he had to remember was that he could not call himself ‘head torturer’ or ‘deputy lord of Hell in my father’s place.’ At least, that was what Marlen had told him. She had laughed and said that, while she really appreciated the humor, immigration officers were devoid of it and that he should mention neither torture nor Hell, and rather stick to the truth and not use any metaphors regardless how much he hated his job. That, in turn, had led to a very passionate speech on his side about how proud he was to be head torturer now that Mazikeen had left to be Lucifer’s bodyguard, and that he never would have left Hell if it were not for his father. Mrs. Harrington had ended that speech by genially patting his shoulder and putting a pastry into his mouth. These sweet things were absolutely delicious, much better than what was available on his last trip to Earth.

 _“Ma, is he right in the head?”_ Marlen had asked her mother in Irish, obviously thinking that Dromos could not understand her.

 _“I think hearing about his father’s illness really messed with the poor fella’s head,”_ was the sympathetic reply. _“Well, I prefer him this way. He was such an unpleasant, miserable fuck before-“_

_“Mother!”_

_“Oh, hush! He was. He was a miserable, unhelpful bastard, and now he’s helping me whenever he can.”_

_“He thinks he’s the devil, Ma,”_ Marlen had protested, but before Dromos could object saying that only one creature deserved that title, Mrs. Harrington had said, “ _More like one of his demons.”_

_“This isn’t funny. He’s delusional. I’m pretty sure that when we ticked the mental health question in the ESTA, we lied.”_

_“He wants to be at his father’s side, and I think we should let him.”_

Mrs. Harrington’s resolute answer had probably ensured Marlen’s continued help, for which Dromos was very grateful. However, this conversation had taught him to be careful about mentioning torture near humans.

He was finally at the departing gate only to realize that it would take another two hours before they would leave. He sat down on one of these really uncomfortable chairs and sighed.

He really wanted to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On my little Dromos rant: I love visiting the US, but getting there can be very unpleasant and stressful. 
> 
> Other than that... for once no references. The visa/ESTA stuff is from personal experiences.


	4. (Un)Holy Trinity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin. An atheist Satanist meets the devil. A pastor speaks in tongues. A witch seeks the path to Avalon.  
> Lucifer is hungry and not very patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off: I am so sorry. I am fine, healthy, but I was absolutely hammered with work. It turns out that writing a thesis on a tiny computer sucks the imagination right out of you.... or at least makes you less inclined to continue writing for fun after spending too many hours at said computer for work.
> 
> Second: Thank you so much for the support. This chapter took a long time and I hope you'll enjoy it, and that I'll update earlier next time.

Dave still remembered the old family cat.

Not too big, not too strong.

A vicious fighter, and a good one too, but sometimes there were fights it could not win unless it was near Bruno, the family dog; Bruno had usually made it extra-vicious, winning every time he was near.

David felt like his old family cat.

While he had learned to deal with murders related to Satanism and he had helped ending the Satanic Panic, his Catholic upbringing had always caused him to feel uneasy being near those claiming to worship the devil. Despite being fully aware that any ritualistic Satanic killing had yet to be confirmed, he had never felt comfortable talking to those who worshipped the devil. These days though, Dave was lucky and his family dog Bruno happened to be Satan himself.

“John Miller, thank you for talking to us,” said Aaron. John Miller looked… well, if David did not know the real devil, he would say that John Miller was way off in terms of Satanism, but taking in his tasteful, grey suit, his lean stature and intelligent eyes, he had to admit that Miller was pretty damn close to the real thing. The man was blue-eyed with light-brown hair so he did not look exactly like Lucifer, but still, Dave just knew that their devil would appreciate the man’s taste. “My name is Aaron Hotchner, I’m with the FBI and these are SSA David Rossi as well as Lou Fletcher, our civilian consultant.”

“Pleasure,” said Miller coldly. “What do you want to know?”

“Theist or atheist?” asked Lucifer immediately.

“Atheist,” sighed Miller. “But it’s nice that the FBI knows enough to make that distinction. This town doesn’t really understand that we’re making a point. ”

“So, this means you don’t believe in any deity,” said Lucifer slowly. “How does this work?”

Miller met Lucifer’s eyes unflinchingly, “Wouldn’t have pitted you as a man of God.”

“Aren’t we all, though? Of God, I mean? Whether we want to be or not. Believe me, I really don’t want to be, even denounced the _-el_ from my name for good measure. That doesn’t mean I’m any less ‘of him’.”

Miller frowned, “You think God is an actual entity.”

“I know he is,” said Lucifer calmly with that quiet confidence he only ever expressed when it came to questions any human struggled with, regardless of their faith. “I very much appreciate the ideas of atheist Satanism, though. Some of them, at least. You live by the principles of free will and the ability to do whatever you wish as long as you don’t harm others, which is a very universal moral code, but tell me, how do you stand on Social Darwinism? While egoism and individualism can be justified, the principles of Social Darwinism are more than just questionable from an ethical point of view. I very much hope that atheist Satanism including your congregation, has evolved from LaVeyans views on equality.”

“You’ve done your homework,” smiled Miller.

“I have always kept a very close eye on those evoking the devil.”

“There is no such thing as a devil,” was the sharp, firm reply and David did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“Mr. Miller,” said Aaron before things got out of hand. “We would like to ask you a couple of questions.”

“I didn’t murder these people. Sergeant Thomson was a war veteran and I respected him for that. Judge Brown was the least biased judge in town. I had no motivation to kill them. Now, Mr. Fletcher, shall we continue this conversation?”

Lucifer lips curled into a smile, but the edges of that smile were dangerous, “I do not appreciate the tone, Mr. Miller. If you respected Judge Brown for her fairness, you should listen to Agent Hotchner. He’s without a doubt one of the least judgmental humans I’ve ever dealt with.”

There was only so much you could do to train an immortal’s vocabulary. Thankfully, the Satanist did not even blink, “No disrespect, Agent Hotchner. I’m simply curious. I know things are urgent, but would you allow me to do a quick _quid pro quo_ style of questioning between myself and Mr. Fletcher? Then I’m all yours.”

“Oh, Hannibal references, I like it,” smiled Lucifer. “I’m all ears.”

Aaron just nodded.

“Ask your question first.”

“Ah,” said Lucifer. “Scenario first, then your answer, then my actual question.”

“Be my guest.” He looked genuinely curious.

“You are in your car, on your way to the business meeting of your life. If you arrive on time, your professional future is secured. If you’re late, you won’t get that deal you so desperately want, but it won’t actually harm your position. On your way there, you see a person on the ground. You are not sure how badly they’re injured. To stop would mean you lose your deal. What do you do?”

“Stop and check,” was the immediate reply.

“Why?”

“If the scenario severely impacted my personal life, my career or if helping would endanger the people I care about most, I might think twice about checking in on a stranger. But this is a no-brainer.”

“Well, your personal career would be hampered in that scenario.”

“It would stay the same as before; it’s an opportunity lost, not the entire game. On the flipside, what if that person lost their life when I could have helped prevent that? I’m an atheist Satanist, Mr. Fletcher, not a psychopath. My turn.”

“Oh, please ask, I am curious.”

“Scenario, your response, my question, your answer.”

“I would expect nothing less,” smiled Lucifer.

“You have ultimate power. You can shape reality to your will, and therefore the fate of humanity is at your fingertips.”

David had to bite the inside of his cheek. Now that scenario was not unknown to Lucifer.

“Go on,” prompted Lucifer, looking both amused and serious.

“The world being as it is, what would you do?”

“Leave it exactly as it is.”

“Blood, wars, carnage, you would just let it all be,” asked Miller.

“Yes.”

“Why? You could save the lives of thousands if you made humanity stop fighting, keep it from destroying itself,” said Miller, and Dave really needed to look away this time. This was both horrifying and absolutely hilarious.

“Humanity’s gift is the ability to choose your own path. If that path leads to destruction, that is a pity, but taking your will would dim your Light and would be the act of bringing order into chaos, and chaos is essential to life. You are right, of course. I could save the lives of thousands, but I would destroy the souls of billions by squandering your free will. Humanity made its bed, they must now lie on it.” Lucifer’s answer was firm, his eyes serious and very dark. “Even if omniscience came with omnipotence,” which was code for ‘ _if I were Dad_ ’, “and I could see every outcome of every decision and I could create the perfect existence for humans where nobody ever got hurt and everybody abided by the rules, I would still stiffle what makes you such fascinating, confusing and contradictory creatures. So, if I had ultimate power, I still wouldn’t mess with your free will.”

“But you just said: we might destroy ourselves. What will you do? In this scenario, you’re omnipotent and immortal. You’d survive it. What will you do when humanity is gone?”

A sound escaped Lucifer’s throat that spoke of agony, “Then I’ll mourn, remember and move on. Immortality isn’t for the faint of heart.”

Miller inspected him, then he said, “The application process is long, but you’d probably be accepted into the group. Freedom of speech and thought is crucial to our congregation, and – unless you fundamentally disagree with our core principles – you’re a good fit.”

Lucifer tilted his head, “Wouldn’t you call me a theist, though?”

“We have a couple of theist Satanists in our group,” said Miller. “You believing ancient fairytales doesn’t have to exclude you from joining.”

Lucifer scoffed, but he was quite amused, “I see.”

“Mr. Miller, are you now ready to answer a few more questions?”

“Certainly, Agent Hotchner.”

“Could you describe to me how your congregation meets? After all, you are officially registered as a church and our technical analyst has let us know that you have submitted the paperwork to be officially recognized as a church and therefore to become tax-exempt.”

Miller smiled at that, “We _are_ a church, a non-theist church, but we are a church. The IRS says that ‘churches have to hold regular religious services and congregations.’ We meet every Saturday morning in a building, which we own. We follow the principles of the Satanic bible and wrote our own documents about the rules and conduct expected from every member of the congregation, meaning we tick the ‘formal code of doctrine and discipline’ box. Atheist Satanism has existed for decades, and if pagan religions like Wiccan organizations are recognized as religions, so should we. The belief in Satan himself is as old as any Abrahamic religion, although only the Christians believe him to be evil incarnate. I am ordained by the Satanic church as this congregation’s minister. Really, there is no reason not to give us tax-exempt status.”

“Except the fact that you are _atheists_ ,” said David, amused. “By definition, religion is the belief in a superhuman entity.”

“Actually, according to Merriam-Webster, religion likely originates from ‘ _religare_ ,’ to constrain or tie back. One of its definitions is ‘a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.’ I believe, from the bottom of my heart, that people should live their lives freely and as they desire,” smiled Miller, obviously having spotted that David was Catholic, be it because of his name or his objection.

“Whether or not your congregation should be recognized as a church is not up for us to decide,” said Aaron mildly. “What I would like to know is how you stand on snakes.”

“Snakes?” repeated Miller, confused. It was good to know that the local PD, despite their initial mistakes of prematurely arresting him, had done an excellent job at keeping the details on the murders under lock and key, which was not a small feat in a smalltown. “We’re not talking about human snakes, are we? We talk about ’crawl on their belly, eating dust?’ snakes. I don’t have a problem with them. I avoid them when they’re venomous, and I don’t want them in my house, but yeah, that’s it. Why?”

“For years now, scholars connect the snake from the Garden of Eden with Satan,” said Aaron, while putting a soothing hand on Lucifer’s forearm.

Miller scoffed, “Please, that’s about as ridiculous as the goat stuff. I mean, who looked at a stinky, old billy goat and thought ‘yeah, that’s how the devil disguises himself’?”

“Thank you!” exclaimed Lucifer. “I’ve been saying that for what feels like an eternity. I mean, even their cheese is utterly disgusting.”

“True,” confirmed Miller. “I mean, I would understand if it were a bull. Christianity stealing from yet another relgion by assimilating the story of the Minotaur, but a goat? It makes no sense. Even our theists agree that it is ridiculous.”

“How many theists are in your congregation?” asked Dave.

“We are affiliated with a congregation in Nashville and Murfreesboro. Here, we have eight atheists, including yours truly, and one theist Satanist. Altogether, we are 62 atheist and eight theist Satanists,” elaborated Miller.

“Thank you,” said Aaron. “We would like to talk to the eight members of your congregation here in Hohenwald. How is the minority faction of theists treated?”

“They’re part of our group,” said Miller. “While the rest only celebrates birthdays, Walpurgisnacht and Halloween, the theists have additional rituals during solstice and equinox. We are invited, but we are usually not participating. These rituals are conducted by Martin Laurent; he’s the theists’ high priest.”

“Okay, this sounds like you have a very unique system, so please elaborate,” asked David. Even Lucifer looked intrigued.

“Well, we have four connected groups: Nashville, Murfreesboro and Hohenwald as far as locations go. Each group has its own minister: myself, Natasha Trevor from Nashville and Sibylle Crawford from Murfreesboro. We’re all atheist Satanists, but during a countrywide mass, we came across Martin, who not only lives in Nashville, but fit perfectly into our congregation. He truly embodies Satanism, so we saw no reason to discriminate him because he believes in an actual Satan, so we extended an invitation. A bit like you, really,” said Miller nodding to Lucifer who grinned widely. “So, within our congregation, we decided to invite the occasional theist with Martin as the figurative head. The four of us theoretically lead the congregation, but we are Satanists. There isn’t a hierarchical structure and we don’t really interfere with our members’ freedom. That would defeat the whole purpose.”

“When was that? When did Mr. Laurent join?”

“Ten years ago. And I know my word means little to you, but Martin’s a sweet, far too generous soul who wouldn’t hurt a fly.” He shook his head. “And I know you’ll be looking into his past, so let me safe you the trouble and suspicions. Unlike the rest of the entire congregation, he grew up as a Satanist. His entire family on his mother’s side is and his father converted taking his mother’s name, as has been tradition for the Laurent family. He’s a fifth generation theist. I didn’t even know that existed until I met him.”

“Laurent,” repeated Lucifer as if his name had not been mentioned before. “If his family believes in m-have been theist Satanists since the early 20th century, they must have a very interesting family history. They don’t happen to have lived in Paris around… let’s say from February 4 to 14, 1901?”

Dave sighed. Somebody had to teach that devil the subtle art of interrogation.

“Damn, you’ve done your homework,” whistled Miller. “So you know.”

“I’m not sure,” confessed Lucifer, a bit confused. “What has Mr. Laurent told you?”

“His great-great-great-grandparents, Louise and Jean Laurent, were poor. They were servants in an middle-class guesthouse near some cemetery-“

“Père Lachaise.”

“Right. On their way home, they met a rather distraught gentleman in very fine clothing. When they asked him if they could help him, it turned out that he had just found out about a friend’s death, and had gone to the cemetery to verify the name.”

“Getting records was a pain back then.”

“I guess. Anyway, that man claimed to be the devil, but they took him to their humble home regardless, fed him, cheered him up and they spent ten days together. Mostly having sex,” he grinned. “Believe me, even a man as brazingly open about his sex life as Martin will not go into detail about his ancestors’ wild week. Next thing they know, the devil told them that he had to leave because his brothers want him back in Hell, and he disappeared. Nine month later, their only daughter was born.”

Lucifer groaned, “Don’t tell me they think the daughter was the devil’s gift, or worse, of devilish origin.”

“No, well, ‘no’ to the latter, but they do believe the devil contributed to the birth of their child… At least, he taught them about passion and how to have fun in the bedroom. Martin’s family is absolutely convinced that a woman’s pleasure is crucial for fertility… I don’t know if there are studies about that, but since sexual freedom, barring having sex with an unconsenting party or a minor, is one of our core principles, we support Martin in his endeavor.”

“Has he been in town lately?” asked Aaron, not at all deterred from their original goal, while Dave really wanted the details of this entire encounter. He would ask Lucifer later.

“Last week, he went to Paris to celebrate his sister’s birthday,” smiled Miller, pleased to give his friend an alibi. “He’ll be back in Nashville the day after tomorrow.”

“I see. When do you think the members of the Hohenwald congregation could come here to talk to us?”

“Are you suspecting them of murder?” All geniality was gone from Miller’s face. He obviously did not worry about himself, fully aware that they did not suspect him, with the knowledge his friend was safe, but he obviously felt responsible for his people.

“Not at all. We will be interviewing all smaller congregations that have had run-ins with the local authorities in the past, and there have been complaints about some of your church members,” explained Aaron, brutally honest as ever. “What do you know about these murders?”

Miller sneered, “Have fun talking to Pastor Graham. He’s going to suggest burning the witches and to exorcise each and every single member of my congregation.”

“I take it you’re not a fan of him,” concluded Dave.

“We just want to be left alone,” said Miller. “Graham’s an old, narrow-minded religious bigot who believes anyone who doesn’t follow his exact rules is destined for Hell, even the locals here if they aren’t part of the _Apostolic Movement_. Not that he would ever say that out loud, and he’s too busy inciting the town against us, but his messaging is clear enough.”

“What about the witch coven?” asked Aaron.

“They call themselves the _Keepers of the Lake_ , even though they perform most of their rituals in Lewis State Forest and not near Highland Lake,” elaborated Miller, rolling his eyes. “Nimüe is the goddess they pray to.”

“Really?” asked Lucifer, utterly surprised. “I thought she got out of the habit of allowing humans to worship her, not to mention take them under her wing. It only ever brought pain in its wake.”

“Hey, man, I wouldn’t know. I never bothered enough to look it up outside of my curiosity regarding the Arthurian Legend.”

“Right, that,” muttered Lucifer. “I think you didn’t answer the question posed by Agent Hotchner.”

Dave smiled. While subtlety was Lucifer go-to approach, he was a far better interrogator than he sometimes gave him credit to. He just went about it either much more bluntly and more directly than others. He never forgot a question, and – if it interested him – he would get his answer.

“I don’t mind them,” said Miller. “As long as they leave us alone. There’s usually a bit of tension when the coven catches some heat when my congregation is being criticized. The papers love putting us in the same category… not sure why, they probably watched _The Blair Witch Project_ too many times while _The Exorcist_ was running in the background. Other than that, we’re good. Haven’t seen them since the murders started, which I think will raise tensions. Ah, well, too bad.”

He did not seem too broken up about it, probably used to strife and dealing with it the same way Lucifer did: cheerfully, disimissively and with the certainty of being right, enraging his opponents all the more.

“Have I answered all of your questions?” asked Miller. He did not look impatient, but it was clear that the enigma that was Lucifer was not enough to keep him around two FBI agents for long. “For what it’s worth: I hope you find the bastard who did this. I didn’t know the victims too well outside of smalltown niceties, but they were decent folk, even grumpy, old Mrs. Harlington. That lady could stand her ground on a position, which I respect. If that is all, gentlemen?”

“Yes, for now, but please, remember-“

“I’ll ring them up as soon as I leave,” said Miller. With that, he nodded politely and left.

“What do you think?” asked Aaron.

“Oh, he’s good-looking fellow, though he did not give the impression that he is interested in men,” said Lucifer. When the Unit Chief continued to look at him, utterly unimpressed, Lucifer’s shoulders slumped.

“Spoilsport,” Lucifer muttered before he sighed. “He did not give me the impression that he was lying. I don’t think he killed, or is involved in the killing of, these people.”

“Agreed,” said Dave and Aaron nodded.

They were at the police station and while Reid and JJ were setting up their workspace, Morgan and Emily had visited the ME to get additional information that was not already in the reports, such as getting a better idea of the victims and what behavioral patterns could be extracted regarding the killer. Dave and Morgan would visit the sites where the bodies were found as soon as they updated each other while Reid and Emily would retrace the steps of Christine Lane, the nurse who had been found alive before she died.

“Any news?” Aaron asked JJ once they were in the small room set up for them. The rest of the team was present as well as a curious Chief Mayfield.

“Robert Jackson’s wife and Judge Brown’s husband have been contacted, and both are waiting for us to call them back for an interview. They’re quite shaken. The whole town seems eager to talk to us, including Sergeant Thomson’s neighbors, and Mrs. Harlington’s friend from church, Mrs. Harriet Knowles, has specifically asked to talk to us.”

“They were very popular,” said Chief Mayfield. “The sergeant was a hero and he was respected for it here in town. Jackson was an excellent teacher; his students were shocked to hear about his demise. Judge Brown grew up here and returned after declining a more prestigious position in Nashville. She was respected in town.”

“Other than that, nothing new,” JJ finished her report after acknowledging the Police Chief’s comment.

“We just talked to Mr. Miller and there is no reason to think he’s invovled in the killings. We will interview members of his congregation but he himself has nothing to do with any of this,” said Aaron addressing Chief Mayfield.

“You can tell that from one conversation?” asked Mayfield. “I mean, he’s... he can’t be trusted.”

“Please remember that most Satanists are, in fact, atheists, and have therefore as little to do with the Christian devil as you or I do.” Dave had to give it to Aaron; it was not a lie. They had only to do with the real devil, not the embodiment of evil with the same name. “Mr. Miller has given no indication that he’s lying and there is no motif. Morgan, Prentiss, what did you find?”

“The UnSub – unknown suspect,” clarified Prentiss, addressing the Police Chief, “is organized. There is even the distinct possibility that Ms. Lane was released and did not escape, or that all were supposed to reach the town, but succumbed to the venom beforehand. At this point, he’s definitely not devolving. He’s cool, calculated and efficient. Victimology at this point is difficult to determine. He has no type. He even crossed racial lines with Robert Jackson. Neither age nor gender are a factor.”

“So, you would say, this was cold-blooded, premeditated and undiscriminatory,” said Lucifer slowly, his eyes on the open door leading into the main offices of the building.

“Yes.”

“So this could be the act of a dark soul.”

Lucifer recognized people with antisocial personality disorder and people with psychopathy, just like he had an eye for people suffering from deep-seated unhappiness, grief and depression. The Light of the latter was ‘dimmed’, which meant that Lucifer recognized that there was potential for their Light to become brighter, and he often tried to do exactly that. In contrast, people with ‘dark souls’, as he called them, were people that a psychologist would diagnose as a psychopath or a patient with antisocial personality disorder – ‘ _sociopath_ ,’ his psychiatric training from years prior reminded him – or people who committed absolutely heinous crimes demonstrating that they were devoid of any form of empathy or mercy. There was a spectrum to this: not every psychopath they met would be deemed as a ‘black hole’ by Lucifer and some non-psychopathic humas were ‘brighter’ than others. They had discussed this with Lucifer in the past.

* * *

_“What is the Light, Lucifer? You mention it constantly, but I still have only a vague idea regarding its nature. We can’t see it, or from I gathered, measure your Light. So, what is it?”_

_“Life.” Lucifer looked confused at Reid’s question._

_“Yes, yes, I know, but the Light has nothing to do with what we call ‘light,’ right? It has nothing to do with the wave-particle duality or the visible light spectrum or anyel electromagnetic radiation, really. What is it physically?”_

_“It isn’t. Physically, I mean.”_

_“But-“_

_“I’m the Lightbringer, Dr. Reid,” said Lucifer. “Or I was.”_

_“I know, and your actions were crucial during The Dark Ages when you kickstarted, drove and guided the formation of the stars. I understand that. It’s a physical process… for the most part,” amended the good doctor when he saw the devil smile. “What I don’t undertand is everything else; this Light of Life, let’s call it that. You provided the Light necessary to make life, and therefore, us.”_

_Lucifer froze, “I never said-“_

_“No, you didn’t. You said your Dad made the humans, but you made the last reigning species and it’s unlikely that you weren’t at least involved in-“_

_“Stop, please,” said Lucifer, very pale. “They’re dead. It’s over.”_

_“But you said-“_

_“I know what I said,” was the sharp, testy reply. “Leave it, Dr. Reid. The dragons are gone. I made them. And their reign ended a long time ago. Long before Dad tinkered with humanity.”_

_“And you didn’t tinker alongside him?”_

_“Light is Life, but Life isn’t just Light,” replied Lucifer, sounding heartbroken. “I learned my lesson.”_

_“But what is it?”_

_“Easy rule to remember. Learn it well, my young doctor: Life consists of a physical form, of Light, and optionally also the Spark called soul. I cannot make the Spark; only Dad can do that. If there is a Spark, the Light merges with it, and becomes its calling card, so to speak… at least for the Lightbringer. Bright souls have a bright Light, dark souls are dim or devoid of Light. If you have no regard for the lives of others and decide to act on it, your Light becomes a void, no matter how bright you were to begin with.”_

_“So, dark souls go to Hell.”_

_“Not necessarily. It’s still your actions and choices that damn or save you, it’s just that if your Light is weak to begin with, chances are you’ll damn yourself at some point.”_

_Because if you had no empathy and no regard for life, chances were that you would act on your urges, even if they were detrimental to someone else’s life. That was_ bleak.

_“Wait… If you made the dragons, but you can’t make a Spark-“_

_Lucifer walked out, refusing to say anything on the matter. They wanted to talk to him about this, because the implications were frightening. Was there an afterlife for those without a soul or not? He had said before that demons had no soul. Were they not made by God but someone else? Lucifer had never claimed to making the demons. It didn’t sound like Lucifer made the dragons by accident. On the contrary, he seemed to genuinely love and miss them. Had he made them on purpose but without his father’s knowledge, thus unaware that, if he did not provide the Spark, they would be soulless? A soul appeared to be some sort of vessel holding every choice you made, a mirror image of you as a person, but encompassing everything you were from birth to death, a non-physical manifestation that would shed its corporal form after death and go either to Heaven or Hell. If the dragons did not have a soul, what happened to them after they died?_

_Lucifer absolutely blocked any mention of the subject after that and they stopped bringing it up around him. However, they all agreed that this could not be ignored forever. Whatever happened, it had scarred him; they could not let their friend bleed. They would have to subtly approach the topic, but so far, they had not come up with a strategy._

* * *

In conclusion, every living thing was made of Light and all humans had a soul, but these souls could be very dark or even devoid of Light, and Lucifer recognized them.

“That’s possible,” Morgan answered Lucifer’s question on whether a dark soul was involved. “The actions certainly speak for someone with little empathy and a lot of premeditation. Why?”

“Because Mr. Miller is talking to a dark one. Not a black hole, mind you, not a rotten one that depleted its Light, but…”

He was out of the door before they could stop him.

“Hello, unknown worshipper of Satan or at least his atheist principles, which by the way, Mr. Miller, is still highly illogical. Why call it ‘Satanism’? Atheist Satanism is a contradiction in terms,” said Lucifer addressing Miller briefly before looking at the young man in his early to mid-twenties. He was also tall and lean, but unlike the older two bodies next to him, his shoulders were slumped and head tilted forward as if he was constantly trying to make himself look shorter than he was. “Anyway, have you killed anyone? You’re a dark one, aren’t you? Tell me, what is it that you desire?”

Shocked, Dave looked at Aaron who was taken aback by Lucifer’s direct approach.

The man’s pupils widened, his facial expression instantly relaxed, “I-I-desire to find out who killed Nurse Lane. She was an excellent-“

“Yes, yes, yes,” said Lucifer, rolling his eyes impatiently, “she was a paragon of virtue like the war hero and the just judge as well as the beloved teacher. Small towns have far too many overlaps as Ms. Garcia keeps reminding me, but that doesn’t answer my question. You are a dark soul, which means you’re probably a psychopath or suffer from antisocial personality disorder, if I remember these utterly confusing terms correctly, so what can you tell us about your whereabouts in the last two weeks?”

“Mr. Fletcher!” Aaron said sharply. Miller looked utterly shocked and angry, already standing between the pale kid and Lucifer. This was not how their team operated. It was clear that this man was a Satanist in the middle of the police precinct, and accusing him of murder did not help the minefield they were treading here.

“Woah!” said the young man, surprised. “I knew you were profilers, but I didn’t know you were that good.”

That got the attention of everyone within earshot.

“So, case solved?” asked Lucifer, sounding genuinely surprised.

“No!” exclaimed the kid, taking a step back. “No. That’s not what I mean. I mean… I was diagnosed with conduct disorder when I was very young. My mother recognized the signs early and, while I still… I don’t feel as you do, I don’t. I don’t see the point, but hurting you and breaking the law would hurt me in the long run. That’s what Satan taught me.”

“I highly doubt that,” said Lucifer quietly.

“He’s not what you think!” defended the kid who was probably the only theist member of Miller’s congregation. “Satan… Lucifer is the ultimate opposer; he rejected his father’s stringent, senseless rules and refused to worship him, but he’s not evil. He punishes evil. That’s his whole job. It wouldn’t make sense to put the worst criminal in charge of punishing other criminals. Lucifer believes in free will, but free will for all, and that means you cannot constrain someone else’s will to live out yours, so you need to live to the fullest extent and as you desire but without harming others in the process. I live by that. My mother taught me that… and later the Satanic church confirmed her views to me. They are the reason I don’t make the psychopathy checklist, and I was not diagnosed with antisocial disorder later on. I’m not hiding,” said the kid, his voice urgent, but they all had to consider the possibility that he could also be an excellent liar. Judging by Lucifer’s expression, he still suspected him, but could not detect any actual duplicity. “I know I’m different. That doesn’t make me want to be a murderer. If nothing else, it’s counterproductive and illogical.”

Lucifer sneered, “Right.”

“Wouldn’t have pegged you for a conforming, narrowminded prick,” hissed Miller, clearly protective of the kid. “Your responses are not exactly entirely human either.” Lucifer’s back stiffened and he caught the Satanist minister’s gaze, “And you said you were a Satanist, not a psychopath.”

The still nameless kid did not react too much, but he seemed surprised and almost hurt at the turn of phrase.

“Thomas, I’m sorry,” said Miller, addressing the young man.

“Don’t be. I’m _not_ psychopath, but I could have been,” said the kid coldly. “But Satan showed me that this isn’t the way.”

Lucifer pursed his lips at that, but he did not say anything. After all, the kid had given the closest depiction of the real Satan they had heard in a while from someone who did not actually _know_ him.

“Mr. Miller, Mr.-“ said Aaron looking at the young man inquisitively.

“Thomas Coleman,” said the young man.

“Mr. Coleman, thank you for coming here. We have a few questions, but you are not under arrest or currectly suspected as the person we’re looking for,” continued Aaron. “But, Agent Hotchner,” protested Lucifer, his tone remarkably like that of a petulant child, and it had been a while since he had used that tone. Aaron had anticipated it, obviously, because it kind of diminished whatever Lucifer had to say and contrasted with Aaron’s calm, sure tone. The tension of the surrounding police officers visibly subsided. As a profiler, you could never forget that officers were human, too, and they were susceptible to superstition and they trusted them. For Lucifer to accuse a Satanist of murder in the middle of the precinct without any evidence to back it up other than detecting some form ‘darkness’ in the man’s soul could not happen.

“Lou,” said Morgan quietly, a hand on his forearm, “He’s too young, okay?”

Lucifer, who had twitched at hearing the name, nodded jerkily, “But…”

“Mr. Fletcher,” said Hotch, and this time, Lucifer visibly balked, “may I talk to you for a moment?”

Dave followed, just to make sure everything was okay. Aaron did not protest, so he was probably glad for David’s decision.

“You cannot accuse someone of murder, especially when things are as tense as they’re here,” said Aaron as soon as the door closed behind them. “Mr. Coleman is too young.”

 _“_ You always say that the age is the hardest to predict,” said Lucifer coldly. “You’re profilers. Isn’t that what you do? You look at a crime scene, surmise what motivated the killer and you find the killer based on that profile.”

“And based on a process of elimination,” countered Aaron. “After we gather all the facts. Morgan and Prentiss have just brought us one little puzzle piece, but our profile is sketchy at best. A killer this organized is at least in his thirties. Younger killers are often more disorganized. This was premeditated. The person had to gather the venom from somewhere, a lot of it, meaning he has to keep snakes somewhere. This young man has been under close observation all his life, possibly even to the point that his development suffered from it. Mentally, he’ll be in his teens now, and while we have met UnSubs that young, they usually inject themselves into the investigation, and he clearly came here only to check up on his surrogate father.”

“Surrogate fa-“ Lucifer genuinely looked confused.

“Mr. Coleman mentioned his mother but not his father. He says that the Satanic church saved him and Mr. Miller is highly protective of him. Whether they acknowledge it or not, they have a father-son relationship. Mr. Coleman may not be capable of feeling empathy, but he doesn’t want to disappoint Mr. Miller. His mother has most likely died when he was just old enough to take care of himself, and Mr. Miller then took him under his wing. It’s highly unlikely that Mr. Coleman is the killer. We’re profilers, Lucifer. We observe and wait, we don’t accuse.”

“And I’m the devil!” exclaimed Lucifer, frustrated. “And he’s a dark soul, and how many of them do you think I have dealt with over the years? They’re deceptive to the point that some even managed to fool me.”

“Are all of them doomed to go to Hell?” asked Aaron instead.

“There is a big overlap between the dark ones and the worst ones,” said Lucifer. “I don’t know what souls go Heaven. I’m not in charge of that. I haven’t really been to Heaven in a long time.” His expression was sharp, cold and inhuman. “Based on cosmic rules, even the dark ones should be able to go to Heaven unless they break the Laws,” he acknowledged as an afterthought.

“Are you okay with being called Fletcher?” Aaron changed the subject. He looked concerned.

“Of course,” said Lucifer, a little too sharply, taken aback by Aaron’s sudden focus on him. That still happened sometimes: Lucifer being absolutely flabbergasted that they were interested in him personally, and that they actually listened when he made a complaint… or like here, gave the impression of being a bit unbalanced. “I’m not ashamed of being married.”

“I know you’re not,” said Hotch softly. “But your identity is of enormous importance to you. You suffered beyond belief to be who you are. Your identity is tied to your name. Your name holds power. Any name you hold. If being called ‘Lou Fletcher’ makes you uncomfortable-”

“I’m an immortal being with the ability to stop the sun from shining,” scoffed Lucifer. “Literally. Do you honestly think that my name has any significance to me? Or that it matters how I am addressed?”

“Yes,” was the firm reply. “Because one second on Earth is a year in Hell. You were Lucifer, the Fallen Angel, for 750,000 Earth years, which translates into a depressing number of years in Hell. For six years, you’ve now been Lucifer Morningstar, but you refer to yourself as Lucifer. It’s who you are. We won’t forget who you are simply because we call you by a different name. We call you Lou Fletcher for this case only. You will remain Lucifer.”

Lucifer exhaled shakily, relaxing slightly.

“I don’t understand.” He sounded so lost.

“You’ve been anxious lately, even before this case, and you’ve been much more physically affectionate than you usually are,” said Aaron. “You sit next to us on the couch instead of opposite to us. The only person to whom you still hold distance is Reid because you know he’s reluctant about physical contact.

Lucifer paled, “I didn’t mean t-“

“That is fine. We welcome your affection. I would appreciate if I knew the reason for this change of behavior, but you don’t have to tell us right now.”

“I’m hungry,” said Lucifer, quietly and uncharacteristically ashamed.

“I-don’t take it you talk about food,” said Aaron. “Or sex.”

“I wish,” scoffed Lucifer. “I could deal with both.”

“What do you need?” asked Hotch quietly.

“Right now is good. You’re not happy, which I would prefer, but your full focus is on…” He stopped and cursed out loud. It was not in a language that Rossi recognized, but the emotion behind it was very clear.

“Prayer,” realized David. “You feed through prayer, but right now you need more than we give.”

“Than you _can_ give. You’re human and I’m…” he trailed off.

“Starving,” concluded Aaron.

“You’re right,” said Lucifer as if Hotch had said something else entirely. “This is ridiculous. I haven’t needed prayer in almost one million years, I’m not going to let this get the better of me now.” With that, he closed his eyes and spread his arms, his face directed skyward.

“What are you doing?” asked David, very worried.

“When I Fell, I released a lot of energy, becoming the celestial equivalent of a red giant when I was before a blue star,” said Lucifer impatiently, his arms falling. “The Lightbringer was burned out of me, leaving only… Well, I had to. The Lightbringer needs energy to simply exist, and my siblings stopped praying to me, and the only option to heal would have been to drain the souls that were sent to me.”

David shuddered. There was a knock on the door and he opened the door. He saw Morgan and JJ talking to Miller, Mayfield and Coleman, standing almost exactly where they left them. Reid and Emily were the ones mutely requesting entry, having (correctly) assumed that this conversation had long shifted from its original topic. He waved them in. If Lucifer did not want them to know, he would let them know.

“Not that it would have been enough, so I just… stopped being the Lightbringer.”

“How?” asked Aaron curiously.

“I embraced the identity of the devil and decided that the Lightbringer burned out.”

“You decided.”

“Yes,” was the impatient reply. “I’m not a hapless hatchling without control over my energy. My control is better than that and I decide where my energy is channeled.”

“What changed?”

“I’ve received more energy in the last couple of months and weeks than I’m used to receiving in centuries if not millenia, and I didn’t know where to store it, so I-“ he closed his eyes. “I tapped into the Lightbringer.”

“But the Lightbringer was never really gone,” protested Reid. “You made the stars shine in unison, you still see the Light in other people. That’s why you reacted so harshly to Mr. Coleman, isn’t it? The lack of Light was too jarring.”

“I guess,” said Lucifer, apparently having acted out of impulse rather than conscious thought. “It’s just… if you thought _Lucifer the Devil_ is terrifying, you have no idea what _Lucifer the Lightbringer_ can do.”

“Hey, I saw you punish Foyet,” said David. “We know.”

“That? That was the devil,” scoffed Lucifer. “The Lightbringer would have incinerated him on the spot.” The smile that followed this statement was not devilish but for some reason, even less human and much more terrifying, making Dave accept that he would never fully understand Lucifer.

“The Lightbringer made the stars, contributed to life on Earth, protected the universe, Fell and from these ashes the devil was born, the ultimate punisher,” concluded Reid.

“I was the Punisher long before there was talk of the devil, young one,” smiled Lucifer. “It just became my fulltime job after I Fell. The Lightbringer brings the Light.”

“And Light is Life, and therefore, we have nothing to fear,” continued Reid.

“But these powers are greedy, Dr. Reid,” said Lucifer. “So very greedy.”

“So, you’re deciding again to let the Lightbringer be,” concluded Aaron.

“I’ve got to,” was the cold reply. “I can’t focus. I’m taking away precious time from an urgent case. If this continues, I’ll be utterly useless to you.”

“You bonded with Mr. Miller in a way that we couldn’t, you found a first suspect and I am convinced you’ll be crucial for whatever comes next. I’d prefer you not harming yourself,” said Aaron. “How can we help?”

Lucifer just shook his head in response, “You can’t.”

“Who can? Raphael?”

“That’s not his domain.”

“Helping others? Healing them?” said David sarcastically.

“Taking care of his older brother,” replied Lucifer.

“But he came into being before life on Earth became a thing, right?” said Reid. “This means his main domain is healing the celestial family.”

The devil did not say anything in response. Instead, he looked stunned.

“If you would give me a moment, I’ll call him,” said he.

“Of course. Lucifer, next time, just tell us, okay?” said Aaron, “We cannot guarantee that we can help. This is way out of our area of expertise, but at the very least, we can try. You don’t have to do this alone. You’re part of this team and we’re there for each other.”

Lucifer nodded, his face carefully void of any expression, but he promised Aaron to tell them if something like this happened again.

“Mr. Coleman,” began Hotch after they rejoined the group to give Lucifer some privacy. Before he could continue, the young man waved his hand dismissively.

“Don’t bother,” was the casual response. “Agent Morgan already explained to me that Mr. Fletcher’s very attuned to recognizing people like me and that he will come through. I also have an ironclad alibi for approximately three of these abductions, because I work fulltime at Vanderbilt as a librarian. Classes have just started and there is far too much for us to do for me to take a day off to come here. People would have notied my absence.”

“Of course,” said Hotch, “thank you for your understanding.”

“Oh good,” they heard a voice from the entrance. Miller sighed. “You’ve already apprehended the culprits.” They were approached by a white man in his fifties, square-jawed of medium height, and given Miller’s reaction, this had to be Pastor Graham.

Chief Mayfield confirmed that by greeting him and telling him that unfortunately, they were still at the beginning of their investigation.

“These are the profilers from the FBI that we called in to help us find the killer,” continued the chief and introduced them by name.

“What is there to find? The ones worshipping the Adversary are right here with us,” said Pastor Graham, sneering at Miller and Coleman.

“Pastor Graham, please,” said Agent Hotchner. “Enough accusations have been thrown around today. Are any of the victims members of your congregation?”

“My congregation is connected to all that hear the word of the Lord, Agent Hotchner,” said the pastor calmly. “Except for those that respond to the devil’s call such as his disciples,” he sneered at Miller who smiled haughtily. “Or his harem.” This was probably a reference to the witch covent. “Of which there are too many in this town,” he continued. “They are not part of my flock. Everyone else is.”

“And what do you do if a member of your flock misbehaves? So far, at least three of the victims have had a positive relationship with the members of the Satanic church, and a forth had their grudging respect. What is your relationship to people who respect members of the Adversary’s church?” Aaron had this tendency to respond not too gently to overtly aggressive religious leaders, and it mirrored his response to abusive fathers, which told Dave all he needed to know about the house in which his friend grew up.

“I-“ Stunned, Pastor Graham stared at the Unit Chief, before his body language shifted slightly and he said, “I feel the Holy Spirit. He enters my body to speak to you-I- _kabasada katanga. Ratatacanaktnatra. Kamba saran tananga. Li urohabakanatara.”_

“Dr. Reid,” said Lucifer. David had not even heard him return. He looked calmer, at ease, and he looked genuinely bewildered, “You should call an ambulance. I’m afraid he’s having a stroke.”

Miller snorted.

“He’s having a moment of glossolalia, Lou. He’s speaking in tongues.”

"Not a tongue I'm familiar with. If the Holy Spirit truly spoke through him, the message would be much clearer and he'd be a quivering mess for weeks once he wakes up."

Morgan grabbed Lucifer by the wrist, "Come. You, Rossi and I, we go check out the places where the bodies were found."

"Do that," said Aaron, his voice barely holding back his amusement.

“But Agent Morgan,” protested Lucifer, while letting himself be pulled away. They almost had him out of the door when a woman entered, looking furious. She was thin, not overly tall and the only indication for her faith was an upright pentacle necklace.

“Hello.”

For just one short moment, the woman halted, but then she shook her head and went straight for Pastor Graham, “How dare you?”

“I am not the one worshipping evil,” was the harsh response, snapping from his pseudo-spiritual moment. (David had never entirely discounted the distinct possibility that someone might have an open channel to something bigger than humanity, even before he heard that magic was real from the devil himself, but he did not believe for one moment that glossolalia could be summoned up like that). “You and your companions have invited evil into your midst and now the entire community is paying for it.”

“My sisters don’t worship evil,” was the exasperated response before nodding to Miller, “and most of his people don’t even believe in a devil. Even if they did, we’re not the same. Stop conflating us.”

“What has Pastor Graham dared?” asked Hotch in an attempt to soothe the tension.

“He’s been whispering into the ears of the higher-ups in this town,” she hissed, “telling them that we shouldn’t be giving our thanks to the Goddess.”

“There is only one God!” was the Pastor’s immediate, harsh reply.

“Technically…” began Lucifer, but thankfully, Morgan pulled warningly on the sleeve of his suit and he did not continue.

“To be fair, Marianne,” said Miller lazily. “There have been murders around town lately. There’s not really much to be thankful for. Besides, since all of your ceremonies take place in the forest, well…”

“This monster hasn’t walked our grounds yet,” she replied, looking Miller straight in the eyes. “But because he’s out there makes it even more important for us to stand our ground, to thank the goddess and the light while celebrating the darkness.”

“Mabon,” said Reid. “Autumn Equinox is on September 22.”

“Tomorrow,” said Emily.

They looked at each other. If the UnSub continued his cycle, he already had his next victim – although the Police Chief had not received any notification on the matter – and they would find their body tomorrow.

“Yes, tomorrow,” said the woman, Marianne. “And you are?”

They introduced themselves. Her reaction did not betray any sign of guilt, but they were really just at the beginning of their investigation. David seriously doubted she was involved given that Lucifer’s reaction to her was flirtatious. Her full name was Marianne Davis, she was the High Priestess and had been a Wiccan as her mother before her. With twenty-four people, the coven was remarkbly large for a small town, with sixteen women and eight men. Their beliefs were strongly inspired by Celtic beliefs and the Lake of Avalon was their source of power.

“Interesting,” said Lucifer. “Who’s your guardian then?”

She looked at him, frowned, but it seemed like she could only tell that he was more than met the eye. That could also be because he was introduced as the team’s religious expert. This was strange. When David thought about it, Pastor Graham did not react much either, which was unusual, because most religious leaders instantly recognized Lucifer.

“Her name is not given to strangers. However, given that you appear to think that my coven could be involved in the killings of respected neighbors, you might as well come and watch. She might reveal herself to you, or not.”

“Lovely,” said Lucifer with a wide grin. “I haven’t been invited to any sabbat in a long time.”

“This isn’t Beltane,” said she coolly, obviously immune to his charms. “Nobody will get naked.”

“Ms. Davis-“ said he, about to say something utterly inappropriate, but she interrupted him saying, “I am the High Priestess of those who seek the path to Avalon. If you want to attend our rituals you will refer to me as such.”

Lucifer’s smile was sad, “But Avalon is long gone, faded away beyond what you can reach.”

That response had not been expected, because her harsh expression softened, “That doesn’t mean we should stop looking for it.”

“Then perhaps you should stop dwelling in forests and move to an actual lake,” said Miller saracastically.

“Mr. Miller, you’re being unkind,” retorted Lucifer.

“And you accused one of mine of murder.”

“No, I suspected him of it, because his soul is dark, but I trust the members in this team when they say that even their incomplete profile points in the opposite direction.”

“That sounds like the same thing to me,” said Miller.

“Not really, when I accuse, punishment usually follows,” said Lucifer dismissively. “I asked him a question. He… didn’t answer, but he’s been absolved. What more do you want? For me to pat him on the back? He worships the devil. He cannot expect kindness or mercy.”

“I don’t,” said Mr. Coleman calmly. “I expect honesty, and that is what I received from you. It’s not the reaction I hoped, but you did not hide behind courtesy. I respect that.”

Lucifer nodded, but otherwise remained silent. He did not apologize, which meant that Lucifer may accept that Coleman was not a killer, but he did not trust him as far as Reid could throw him.

This reminded Dave that they had to expose Lucifer to more non-damned, non-criminal assholes. All too often, they forgot that Lucifer deliberately sought proximity to ‘bright’ people, as a counterbalance to the darkness he had to deal with in Hell. He was very susceptible to people full of Light, and he –unconsciously or deliberately – avoided contact to people whose soul may be dark but not damned. His only contact with them was through making deals, and even there, David had noticed a certain bias; While the devil was very willing to twist a deal into the humans’ favor if they needed it, he made deals with shady characters – not damned, but shady – only to remorselessly press his advantage. David exchanged looks with Hotch who nodded, having noticed the same or something similar.

They would have to compile a list of selfish, narcissistic, possibly psychopathic individuals whose souls were dark – because compassion and empathy seemed to make up a considerable part of divine Light – but not damned. Lucifer had to meet more people like that. The people he currently dealt with regularly were either this team – who, according to Lucifer, were warm and bright – or his friends and patrons at Astra and UnSubs… They probably would not be able to make up for billions of years of dealing with dark souls in Hell, but at least, it would give him perspective.

“If you will excuse us,” said Morgan casually. “We must continue our investigation.”

Lucifer happily followed and Dave again made eye contact with Hotch to make sure it was fine for him to follow. He trailed after them.

“How are you?”

It was the first question Morgan asked once they were in the car.

“Better, thank you.”

Morgan did not know what bothered him, but he would probably acquire the information later from Emily or Reid. Instead, he continued, “Before the whole _confusion_ with Coleman, how did your meeting with Miller go?”

“Lucifer was recognized as a theist Satanist.”

“Of course he was,” grinned Morgan.

“Now that isn’t entirely fair,” protested Lucifer. “Being ‘theist’ would imply that I believe in a supernatural entity, but I _know_. I have proof. I _am_ proof.”

Morgan was quiet before the said, “Okay then. Do you believe there is something bigger than your Dad out there?”

Lucifer swallowed dryly and chuckled before he said hoarsly, “Let’s not get into that, shall we?”

“Lucifer?” asked Morgan, alarmed. They had never really entertained the idea, and now they both felt a bit foolish.

“No.” This was as resolute as only an ‘ _I am not allowed to talk about it_ ’ from Lucifer could be.

“Okay,” Dave accepted, but his mind started to reel at the revelation. “Just… Are you aware of the scale?”

“Nope, and I don’t want to be.” That was all he said on the matter and Dave felt his skin prickle at the implication. It was a good thing Morgan was with him. Reid would not have been able to let that one slide; his curiosity was far too pronounced for that.

“Tell me about Martin Laurent,” said David instead to shift the conversation, while bringing Morgan up to speed.

Lucifer told them the story of the Laurent couple who had thought it was their Christian duty to take him a distraught devil after finding out that his old lover Oscar Wilde had died in his absence from Earth. By the time they arrived at the scene, Lucifer was way too far into details on how that particular week had passed by before Amenadiel had knocked on the door – literally – to get him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The author admits to having read at least three different versions of the Arthur legend by the time she turned fourteen. Of all stories, my favorite one was Marion Zimmer-Bradley’s “The Mists of Avalon”… Yeah. Just in case you were wondering.
> 
> On antisocial personality disorder: Okay, I read up on it, but I am by no means a psychologist. Some articles I read use antisocial personality disorders and sociopath as synonyms (sociopath is an older term for the former) while psychopathy was categorized as something else (diagnosis using the aforementioned checklist). Others, including a youtube video from a clinical psychologist, used antisocial personality disorder as an umbrella term for both sociopathy and psychopathy, so… yeah. Forgive inaccuracies here. Below you can see the references as always.
> 
> References:  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Darwinism  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaVeyan_Satanism#Atheism_and_Satan  
> \- https://www.latimes.com/socal/burbank-leader/opinion/tn-blr-me-intheory-20190702-story.html  
> \- https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/churches-religious-organizations/churches-defined  
> \- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_of_the_Lake#Names_and_origins  
> \- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353928  
> \- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353934  
> \- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/insight-is-2020/201812/difference-between-the-psychopath-and-so-called-sociopath  
> \- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5607565/  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_the_universe  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conduct_disorder  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia  
> \- https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder  
> \- https://www.learnreligions.com/ways-to-celebrate-mabon-2562310


	5. Even When I Cannot See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father Kinley has a visitor. Dromos is stuck at the airport. Chloe must give her speech.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title from 2 Corinthians 5:7
> 
> First: Apologies for the hiatus. I had to finish my written thesis first. Now it's been submitted (keep your fingers crossed for me!) and I have two weeks of vacation where I hope to make up for my slow progress in recent weeks.
> 
> Thank you so much for your support.

_Saint Mary’s Chapel._

Why was he not surprised?

Of course, William had not known who they were at first. The Methodist congregation _Saint Mary’s Chapel_ was neither big nor small, set in the very heart of DC, but its Pastor, Joseph Butler, was apparently notorious for his liberal views. He had already blessed and supported sinful behavior five years before it became legal making no small number of enemies within his own church in the process.

Well, if the devil could slip into any church, it would be churches that abandonned traditional belief in order to become popular with the young crowd. There was no use talking to Butler. He probably already knew what he was dealing with. The alternative was that he was a very inattentive sheperd. Either way, this was a deadend. Thankfully, not all of his research was in vain. He had just booked a flight to Las Vegas to talk to former Ms. Fletcher, the foolish woman who decided to bed the devil. Why were people willing to walk open-eyed to their doom? He would never understand.

“Father Kinley?” sounded Sister Margaret’s voice from the door. Her voice was trembling a bit.

“Is everything alright, Sister Margaret?” he asked, rising from his seat.

“You have a visitor,” said she, her eyes wide. “He said… He said his name was Dr. Michael Canaan.”

“And?”

“He… I cannot explain it. He seems… important,” she said haltingly. “He’s… I can feel it. Something is Other about him.”

“Lead me to him,” said William. Sister Margaret was the Reverend Mother’s right hand, especially now that she fell ill. He had not known her for long, but she was as level-headed as they came. Curiosity peaked, he followed her. She led him to the small chapel, but made no move to go inside.

“Sister?”

“I… He’s the wrath of God, he who stands against ungodliness and unrighteousness. He’s the whirlwind and the storm,” said she, her eyes wide. “I don’t dare approach him again, but he said he had important information for you.”

With that, she quickly dashed away leaving William to enter the chapel by himself.

Dr. Canaan was by the altar, on his knees, his arms spread wide, looking up to the ceiling. He exhaled sharply, “Why won’t you-Father Kinley, you are not an easy man to find.” At first, he thought Dr. Canaan was a tall, African American man with a soothing, deep voice, but when he turned to look at William, he suddenly understood why Sister Margaret was so afraid. She may not have understood entirely, but then she had not studied thousands of texts about the devil’s misdeeds on Earth, stopped only thanks to the interference of a Higher Power.

He had never actually met him.

“My Lord Michael,” whispered William. His whole body trembled. “What an honor.”

The momentary fury in the archangel’s eyes nearly drove him to the ground, but then his expression softened and he smiled, “Amenadiel is the name, Father Kinley. I am borrowing my brother’s name for mine is not common in today’s world.”

“Amenadiel,” repeated William, slightly confused. He had never heard of an Amenadiel.

“The first of all the angels,” said Lord Amenadiel curtly, then he continued. “I hear you have plans to permanently banish a wayward brother of mine from this plane of existence.”

The devil had been an angel once. Of course, he had known that, but he never would have guessed that a holy creature such as Amenadiel would ever acknowledge it. What did that mean? Did he support his brother’s endeavors?

He decided to go for honesty for lying was a sin, “Yes. Wherever he goes, he brings evil in his wake and he must be stopped.”

“I agree,” said the archangel grimly. “He was once the brightest of all angels, you know. Sometimes it feels like it was only yesterday, but it has been an eternity since he Fell. Now, forces of evil have corrupted him, driven him into madness, and his Light feeds the darkness, for darkness by itself cannot exist.”

“I don’t understand,” said William quietly.

“You don’t?” He scoffed, his expression grim. “Darkness is just a void, but it could only fester because the ‘brightest of angels’-“ if he sounded serene before, he sounded positively vicious now, “poked holes into the universe, thus letting darkness creep in. It’s been like that for many years. Darkness feeds on the light, thus it drains my brother steadily, and Hell is reeking with it. What do you think my brother has done to keep himself sane and unharmed?”

God was the Light, but the Adversary did not have the power to truly face off the Almighty, or his generals.

“He uses the only divine light he can access: souls,” realized William.

“Precisely,” said Amenadiel. “But living souls are much more tentalizing than the dead ones. He has used these words to describe living humans in the past. He was gifted with a throne of his own, but he abandonned it, and any day now, the darkness trapped within could spill forth, just because he claims to have _retired_ ,” he spat the word. “Only an angel can take the throne of Hell, and now it’s abandonned.”

“Why don’t you…” asked William, fearing the answer, yet this was what he had trained for since joining the Order. He had to ask these questions.

“Because the Gates of Hell are under lock and key,” was the grim reply. “Only the devil can enter it.”

“What about the souls he’s been collecting?”

“Souls aren’t physical,” was the impatient reply. “The gates were not made by God, Father Kinley, they were made by the devil. It is tedious and dangerous to patrol them. This must end now.”

“Please do not resent my question, Lord Amenadiel,” said William quietly, “but why isn’t He stopping this nonesense?”

“Because God is the most patient and forgiving of all,” was the soft answer. “Because he has given Lucifer chance after chance to repent. Because it breaks his heart every time that the devil inevitably disappoints him again and again.”

It was not his place to judge an angel, or to question the Almighty, but this was not the answer he had expected. Lord Amenadiel probably noticed his surprise because he added, “Lucifer’s old name is Samael. He is as much ‘of God’ as every other living creature and the Holy Father loves all of his creations, even the devil himself.”

“But you’ve been sent here to put a stop to this?” said William inquisitively.

“Yes,” said Amenadiel. “And I’ve come to you for good reason. I know about all of the efforts your order has put into fighting the devil. Your devotion is unshakable, and given how fickle humans tend to be near my brother, it is appreciated. There is another reason, I am here, however.”

“Yes?” asked William. “What can I do for you, Lord Amenadiel?”

“Chloe Decker.”

“What about her?” asked William, surprised. He liked young Chloe, he really did. She was dedicated and her training as a detective was very helpful, but she had not known about the devil until a year ago. What could she possibly bring to the table?

“She’s the key to all this,” said Lord Amenadiel. “You see, she is the daughter of John and Penelope Decker, I found out.”

“Are they of angelic stock?” breathed William.

The archangel frowned, momentarily confused, “No, of course not. They are humans, prefectly normal humans, but thirty-two years ago, Father sent me to bless them. From that blessing, Chloe Decker was born. She is a miracle.”

“Do you think she was placed on this Earth to stop the devil?”

“Think about it: of all the cities in the world for Lucifer to spend his ‘retirement,’ he chose Los Angeles,” said Amenadiel. “They were destined to meet.”

William suddenly remembered what Chloe had told him, “He’s utterly unsuspicious of her sudden appearance. He’s drawn to her. I thought this was about thinking that she could be a vessel for the Antichrist, but that isn’t it, is it?”

“No, it’s not,” was the cold reply. “You see, because he’s been surrounded by darkness, he’s drawn to light like the moth to a flame. A child born from a blessing? He wouldn’t stand a chance against that brightness. He would want to follow her around until her secrets are revealed. Has she mentioned anything? Anything special?”

“She appears to be immune to his vile charms,” said William.

“His ability to draw out other people’s desire,” clarified Amenadiel, and nodded. “Anything else?”

“Not as far as I can tell. How can we use this?”

“I know you’ve long since developed a poison. She could deliver it. He would be none the wiser until it’s far too late,” explained the archangel.

“I’ve also entertained these toughts, and Chloe is very willing to do it. She even met with him to build up his trust and lower his defenses, but if this poision doesn’t kill him instantly-“

“Kill?” laughed Amenadiel. “No poison made on Earth could ever as much as touch him. He made the solar system, Father Kinley. Do not, for one second, forget who you’re dealing with. He’s the devil and he’s far more powerful than you can grasp.”

“Then what does it do?”

“Bring it,” said Amenadiel. There was a commanding undertone that made William practically run out of the chapel into his study from where he grabbed the small, inconspicuous box where he kept the vial, run back in order to hand over the vial.

The archangel grasped it, engulfed it with his palms and closed his eyes.

What happened next was difficult to explain. He was sure that whatever the archangel had done with the vial did not take more than a minute. There were another five minutes where he explained that the poison now contained bottled time.

_“My brother defies Time. He was born shortly before God commanded its beginning. Thus, I cannot affect his true form, but I can affect his surroundings and his human form is, in many ways, a foreign environment he traps himself into. We all do so willingly in order to walk among humans. If he ingests this and thus the time trapped within, his human form will be susceptible to time if only for a few moments,”_ he had smiled dangerously. _“But a few moments is all I’ve ever needed. Be careful with this and give it to Detective Decker. Let me know when you strike. The Host will be ready ban him from Earth once and for all.”_

That was all he had said before disappearing, apart from warning him to keep out of harm’s way. As soon as the poison was delivered, they were to leave.

However, by the time William was back in his study, he realized that it was already dark. He had spent hours in the chapel. With shaking hands he closed the book on demons he was reading. Lord Amenadiel had told him that the demon Mazikeen was in Los Angeles and therefore not a threat, but that he would still teach him and his fellow priests how to keep a demon at bay long enough to flee. It was galling, the thought of running from the devil’s servants, but then they were not human. They were beings of pure malice without an ounce of goodness, and they were personifications of vice such as lust, greed and sloth without any sense of compassion or goodness.

* * *

Little did Father Kinley know that eleven flight hours away, Dromos of the Lilim had just had his flight delayed due to technical difficulties after take-off causing the pilot to return to Dublin Airport forcing all passengers to stay at the airport overnight for an early-morning flight at 6 AM.

They would then strand at O’Hare Intl. Airport in Chicago because of some mix-up of the flight plan leading multiple people on the flight to joke that the pilot probably burned a pack of playing cards, possibly the devil’s personal deck, after hurting a leprechaun. One of the passenger’s reaction to that sugggestion was a bit peculiar, explaining to anyone within earshot that hurting one of the faerie folk was dangerous enough; there was no need to get the devil’s playing cards involved.

* * *

Chloe took a deep breath as she listened to Prof. Clara Barnes’ speech.

“To conclude this speech, I would like you to remember one number,” said Prof. Barnes. Chloe had not known her before this trip, but apparently, she was a colleague of Monroe’s husband and a personal friend. They had exchanged notes to make sure they would use similar points without becoming repetitive during their speeches to congress. They decided that Chloe would give a more personal hands-on account on women in law enforcement.

“10%. That is the average number of women in law enforcement. This average is even lower in smaller police stations and sheriff offices. In fact, Detective Decker, who will talk to you momentarily, comes from a section with a high percentage of women that still makes up less than third of all detectives. Another number I want you to remember is 20%. That’s the average gender pay gap that people like Detective Decker or Police Chief Monroe either have to put up with, or need to contest in order to get their fair share. Do we really want that our female officers have to fight to get their fair share of recompensation for their dangerous occupation? These women fight daily for justice and strive to make our lives safer. I think my data has clearly shown that female officers are less inclined to use violence than men, even if they are being met with aggressive behavior. Women are huge assets to law enforcement in this country.”

Especially if one considered the scrutiny that law enforcement was under these days.

“Let’s make sure they have the same chances as their male colleagues. Let’s make sure they get the same salary and that having a child does not ruin their chances to pursue a career. Thankfully today, two female members of law enforcement are here to tell you about their work and the challenges they face. This is the end of my talk. I would like to thank you for your attention. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

This was the point where Chloe started to get nervous. Her skin began to prickle and she could barely hear the questions asked. She knew Monroe would come first and she already dreaded the minutes until it was her turn; despite her nerves fluttering, she was impressed with the police chief’s amazing career and her ability to draw in an audience.

“-none of this would have been possible without the help of LAPD’s excellent criminal investigators. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Detective Chloe Decker. She has one of the highest murder clearance rates in her precinct and, as I’m sure you’ve seen on TV, she’s a hero. She single-handedly stopped an armed robbery without anyone getting hurt, which was a truly amazing feat. She’s here today to talk to you about her own experiences and struggles. Please, detective, the floor is yours,” smiled Monroe.

Her knees weak, Chloe stepped up to the podium. This was not a joint session by any means. They were only talking in front of a handful of senators who did not appear to be very interested in their speech in the first place, but it was televised, in part because of Chloe’s fame; fame she could not escape, carried down from her mother, foolishly promoted by her own stupid actions as a young adult and now rekindled because of a coincidence.

Monroe had told her that none of it mattered. It was irrelevant that she spoke only in front of ten members of congress; what mattered was that her speech might just help bring enough attention to real issues as a female in the police force to make the voter realize that there was an issue that State legislature could help solve. This was nothing but a PR move. She knew how to make those. Her mother had taught her how to do that by the time she turned twelve years old.

She thanked them for having her and then began her speech, “My father was a cop. I always looked up to him for that. I didn’t plan on following his footsteps, not at all, but…” This was hard. She felt her throat close up, but she forced herself to continue, “He was killed on duty during a robbery that went horribly wrong. Getting that call was Hell.”

She forced herself not to think of the real Hell.

“It changed me and my outlook on life. I knew that, whatever plans I had before, this was my future now. I would become a cop to make sure fewer people received such a devastating call. To help people through the worst moments of their lives and to find the ones responsible and put them behind bars.” She took a moment to breathe before she continued. “I was in college at the time.”

Originally, she wanted to become an actress, but despite her mother’s influence, these days, you got nowhere without a degree, so she had taken a couple of acting classes while shooting her first movie.

“There are many paths to becoming a cop, but I wanted to work homicide cases and in order to get there, police academy isn’t enough. I had no military background, which was another drawback, so I switched majors. Four years later, I had my bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement at UCLA. In the same year, I enrolled into the Los Angeles Police Academy. The Academy only takes six months, but they were tough. The first days are harsh.”

She had been so horribly naïve. She still remembered being screamed at from all sides, barely able to hear and follow insturctions.

“I already mentioned my lack of military background and it showed. I had no experience with firearms or the drills, while fellow candets with said background were leagues ahead of me. I worked hard to catch up with them, but here is where I must mention a gender bias. Physical training is often based on upper arm strength and when it comes to that, women are at a constant disadvantage. A few of my female colleagues did not make it through the academy precisely because of that. While physical fitness is important, not all excercises are crucial for prevailing later on the job.”

She was an excellent shot and knew how to use her guns. She was rarely overpowered, and the last time this happened, a very well-trained, male FBI agent had not been able to do anything either.

“I have nothing to say about the biased comments we faced, the daily ‘sweethearts’, the ‘Hollywood chick’ quibs, the ‘Barbie’ comments, because the Academy is not supposed to be nice. It’s supposed to prepare you for your job, and we had excellent instructors. I finished top of my class in 2004 despite it all, thanks to excellent grades in written exams, high marks in target practice and good grades in the physical.”

She took a moment to sip a bit of water because she felt her throat drying out.

After that, I was a street cop for four years. It’s requirement. You can’t just go from the Academy to homicide, that’s not how it works. Hours were long and grades meant nothing. Worse, I was the ‘teacher’s pet’ for the first couple of months. And still ‘Hollywood Barbie.’ Former fellow cadets who had graduated alongside me were often promoted earlier than I was despite comparable results. But again, that can be subjective, and I know many fellow cadets, both male and female, who had it harder than I did, for various reasons.”

There was a bias though, both regarding sexuality and gender. She had not stats ready, though, she just knew what she had witnessed.

“Finally, at age 29, I was transferred to Homicide. A year later,” she smiled. Trixie was the best thing that ever happened to her, planned or not, “my plans derailed a bit because I gave birth to a tiny baby girl. I wouldn’t want to change it for the world. Being a rookie cop in Homicide and handling both a newborn and a career, it’s not easy.”

She still remembered her frustration with Dan’s career flourishing and her own slowly disappearing. “Without the help of my boss, then-lieutenant Monroe, who intimately understood my struggles, I probably wouldn’t have a career to speak of. She let me work part-time, do desk-job while I was pregnant, let me work cold cases. Thanks to her support and hard work, I built up my career and a reputation.”

That reputation had been shot to hell this past year with Palmetto. Not even Jake had believed her. Her going off alone had been the last straw that broke the camel’s back; things had been tense between them after the case with the BAU, when she had gone off without him, but Palmetto was even worse. Jake had left the district three months ago.

Dan had not believed her either and it was possible that this case could have destroyed their marriage for good. Dan had jumped at the chance of her being the bad guy. After years of him not being there for the family, he was now the one who constantly criticized her for being ‘distracted.’ It baffled her how he could ignore what was in front of him: that the devil was real and that he was setting things into motion that might end all of their lives.

“I’ve now been a homicide cop for seven years, of which the last six were full-time. It’s possible, to have children and a career as a female cop, but it’s not easy. There are colleagues who dismiss your opinion because you are a woman, perps who attack you first because they think you’re the weakest link. You’ve got to be tough. At the same time, you’re expected to be understanding, compassionate, kinder perhaps than your male colleagues. These contrary expectations are impossible to meet.”

She had tried, but it was difficult.

“The only thing you can do, is find your own way, be the best possible cop you can be and ignore everyone who tells you that, because you’re woman or pretty or too thin, lean, soft, sweet, whatever… that you can’t do your job right.”

It was time for her conclusion.

“Like every man on the force, we swear an oath of office ‘to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that we will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that we take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that we will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which we are about to enter. So help us God.’“

That last bit never held much meaning to her, but that was then. She knew better now. She would defend her home against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It was just this time, the foreign enemy she fought was not human but the oldest evil known to mankind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name of the church where Michelle and and Frank come from was inspired by real churches in DC, but that is all. Any resemblance to real life is coincidental. Also, please remember that I’m not very familiar with American churches, so any inaccuracies are due to my ignorance.
> 
> A note on Amenadiel: This is Amenadiel from Season 1. He lies, cheats and views humans as nothing more than weak tools at his disposal. Personally, I think his redemption arc was very weak and I was never satisfied with it, especially since he never gave any sort of apology to Lucifer for calling him evil, and instead always made things about himself. Just as a fair warning.
> 
> Also, another note: as much as I am not fond of early seasons Amenadiel, I don’t think he’s stupid. I don’t believe he met Penelope Decker thirty years prior, blessed her and then forgot about it. So in this AU, the second he heard the name Decker, he double-checked and found out that he blessed the mother, and put 2 + 2 together. 
> 
> Last note: I’m pretty sure that this isn’t Chloe’s true timeline. I put things together based on the bits and pieces I learned in Season 1 and 2, but… let’s be honest with ourselves: some of that information is contradictory. Chloe Decker’s past is sketchy at best, contradictory at worst.
> 
> References:  
> \- https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/03/united-methodist-church-is-expected-split-over-gay-marriage-disagreement-fracturing-nations-third-largest-denomination/  
> \- https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/good-bad-signs-irish-folklore  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_law_enforcement_in_the_United_States  
> \- https://datausa.io/profile/soc/detectives-criminal-investigators  
> \- https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/252963.pdf  
> \- https://www.apexofficer.com/police-training-requirements  
> \- https://www.learnhowtobecome.org/police-officer/  
> \- https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-justice-resources/police-departments-by-metro-area/los-angeles-police-department-officer-requirements/  
> https://www.allcriminaljusticeschools.com/law-enforcement/homicide-detective-career/  
> \- https://www.criminaljusticedegreehub.com/how-long-will-i-have-to-go-to-school-for-a-criminal-justice-degree/  
> \- https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=239782  
> \- https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1698&context=etd


	6. Falling Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is Mabon. And Lucifer sees an old/young acquaintance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you. I owe you an early update after my irregular updating schedule lately.
> 
> Thank you for the continued support and comments.
> 
> NOTE:   
> There will be some mention of Wiccan/pagan culture in this chapter, but please note that although I did some research - as always - this is pure fiction and not representative of the real thing. I'm just dabbling here.

“So, tomorrow, Prentiss and Rossi, you’ll talk to the Satanists. JJ, you and I will be meeting with Pastor Graham and his congregation. After that, we’ll talk to the families we did not get to interview today. Lucifer, Reid and Morgan, you’ll be meeting with Marianne Davis’ coven,” summarized Hotch.

This would be fun. Reid loved pagan religions and Lucifer was very keen on celebrating this Autumn Festival, Mabon. Unfortunately, today’s investigation had not brought them very far. Derek, Rossi and Lucifer had visited the places where they found the victims, but they were not one step closer to identifying the UnSub, only that Lucifer noticed tendrils of occult forces in the air.

‘ _These woods have been inhabited by more than your common deer though. I don’t think they were directly involved in the murder of these people, but we’ll know more tomorrow.’_

Apparently, no faerie would ever pass up the chance of dancing during Mabon.

That led to a very interesting conversation the team held in private as Lucifer brought them up to speed on what made up part of the ‘ _MAGIC?!_ ’ section of their list, mostly put together by an overly enthusiastic Reid.

They had already known – very much to Reid’s disappointment – that the only humans capable of doing magic were those descending from a demigod line and that a coven’s power was tangible if they had a member from a demigod line or if they had a supernatural guardian. Today, Lucifer talked about the guardians.

Or rather, they asked about details on faeries. They had many names across many continents and religions, and apparently could be broadly summarized as ‘nature spirits’. Lucifer told them that their power-level was highly variable, which in turn dependend on many factors. Like the ancients gods, the first faeries were created during a cataclysmic event that Lucifer absolutely refused to describe further. What he did let slip, though, was that, unlike the dragons he had made or the souls made by his father, the ancient gods may not have their level of power, but their origins were not only celestial and their creation was largely unintended. He had not not said that outright, but Derek could put two and two together. They asked him whether there were rules they had to abide to, and Lucifer sat them all down to lay down the law on dealing with the faerie folk.

_By their very nature, they are dualistic._

_Yin and Yang. Hot and cold. Light and dark. Kind and cruel. Mischievous and serene._

_More so even than humans who are capable of great evil and breathtaking good at the same time._

_If you put human standards on them, Dr. Linda and Dr. Bill would have a field day with them._

_Some moreso than others. Some have an affinity for chaos. They are always dangerous, regardless of heir intention. Chaos is not just a byproduct of their decision-making, it is their goal. Even when they help you, genuinely want to help you, you will still suffer from a backlash._

They asked him what they could do about them.

_Never tell them your full name, or your soul name._

_You can introduce yourself as Special Agent Hotchner and later say ‘Aaron’ or ‘Hotch’. They will not connect the two, although they may find out that all names refer to you, but if you introduce yourself as Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, and then they hear someone call you Hotch, they might form a connection and they won’t leave you alone. Wait until a Celestial introduces you and until then, don’t mention your full name. I also have to be careful. There are over a dozen souls I cannot ever refer to or they will become Loki’s._

_“I thought Loki was a god,”_ Reid had protested.

_“Yes, and she is also a faerie queen. All the rules in dealing with faerie apply to them ten-fold. Should you ever meet him, never ever mention the name of the actor who plays his Marvel counter-part in these superhero movies. He really wants to talk to that one.”_

The rules got weirder after that, but they took it to heart. Lucifer obviously decided that the best way to prepare them for dealing with a minor member of the faerie folk was to tell them how to deal with Loki.

_Never say ‘yes’ to a suggestion without consulting me._

_Never make a wager_

_Never accept a Faerie gift_

_Do not eat Faerie Food or drink Faerie wine_

_Do not follow the music and step into a fairy ring_

_Be polite, be very polite._

_But don’t give them any clothing_

_And whatever you do, don’t say Thank-you_

_Don’t mention you’ve got a new born child at home or you know someone that has. I mean it. Seriously. Loki loves children. He may not be able to help himself._

_Oh, and Loki-unrelated: don’t bring iron with you. Faeries don’t like it. They’re not too fond of copper, lead, steel, or related human-made material, but if you bring iron, you have a furious faerie to deal with._

At least that meant they could bring their guns, though. Iron was too brittle to be part of a projectile. The only person absolutely thrilled at the idea of meeting a faerie, or – even better –Loki, was Reid. He talked at length about ‘flyting’ and how Loki was the absolute master in the art of skillfully eviscerating someone using only words (it sounded like a rap battle to Derek when Reid elaborated, but he was by no means well-versed in this). They had to actively remind their resident genius that they had a case to solve once Lucifer told about that story where Loki managed to insult every Asgardian within earshot at a banquet. The devil himself admitted to prefer honest, direct approaches to insults, so he was by no means as skilled at it as Loki.

It was quite interesting, really. He sounded both annoyed and fond whenever Loki was mentioned, as if the duality of chaotic gods and nature spirits had a direct affect on your feelings for them.

Taking all that together, Derek just hoped that the coven was not protected by a faerie. The thought made him nervous. He was therefore more than happy to stick close to the devil. He trusted Lucifer, but that did not mean he trusted any other of the hocus-pocus-wielding creatures he was now hearing about.

“Everyone in agreement?” asked Hotch, bringing Derek out of his reveries. They all agreed and decided to reconvene early the next morning, though Derek, Reid and Lucifer were allowed to sleep in if there was no new body, because they were required to stay late into the Mabon festival.

“Hey, Emily, you saw the speeches?” muttered JJ, on their way out.

“Yeah, I had enough time for all three,” replied Emily seriously. “Well-spoken, great presentation. All of them.”

“Speech?” asked Derek curiously. The rest of the team looked at the two women curiously.

“You know, the hearing with Prof. Barnes from UCLA, Police Chief Monroe and Detective Decker,” said Emily. They had talked about that, briefly, when Lucifer told them about Detective Decker’s purpose in town. He had believed her, of course. Derek was far more suspicious, but Emily made a few phone calls and quickly confirmed her story: the stopped robbery, making local and later even state as well as a brief mention in national news, and her then being invited to Congress to give a talk. Apparently, that hearing had been today.

JJ took one of their tablets and called up the video of the speech, which had been uploaded to a newsfeed called ‘Women in the Force’ that JJ had obviously subscribed to.

“You know, you should really get some rest,” said JJ to the team, but everyone settled down.

“This is important,” said Hotch, Lucifer said something along the lines of ‘yes, I’m curious regarding the detective’s speech’ and everyone sat down, crouching around the small screen in order to watch the speeches. They were good.

“I can see you disagree, Derek,” said JJ. Her sharp, blue eyes focused on him cooly.

“I didn’t say anything,” said he. Emily scoffed, and he was on the defense.

“Hey, don’t even go there. I know it’s tough. Like Hotch said, it’s important. I agree.”

“But?” said JJ in a challenging manner.

“I just don’t think Detective Decker’s a good example,” said he.

“Why?” asked JJ. “Too ambitious for you?”

Morgan lost patience, “Might I remind you that her ‘my way or the highway’ attitude nearly got me killed?” And worse. He could deal with the danger; it was part of the job.

But everything that happened that night threw him back months in his therapy sessions. Sandra, his therapist, had noticed it, too. He was not a fan of Detective Decker. Sure, this had not been her intention, but her actions had harmed him, and he was not about to forget that.

“Without her doing that, we probably would have left without Lucifer,” reminded him Reid.

Of course, he did. He was right, of course.

“That is true,” said Lucifer, surprised. “Without you two being trapped in the fire, I wouldn’t have revealed myself to you. At least not so suddenly. Hm, remind me to thank her for that.”

“You sure this is a good idea, man?” said Derek doubtfully. “You yourself said she was pitchfork material.”

“She was, absolutely,” confirmed the devil thoughtfully. “A year ago. I usually do not stick around to see how things progress from mob mentality. She’s taken it well, I think.”

For a moment, nobody spoke, but then Reid decided to bring the conversation back to their original problem.

“I think Morgan’s problem about these speeches has to do with numbers,” said Reid. “Only 19.15% of all special agents were female in 2014, with a slight decline from two years prior. It’s low, not at all representative for the country, but the numbers are steady. The percentage of black special agents dropped from 5.6% in 1999 down to 4.5% in 2014. The numbers continue to fall.”

“This country has an around 50-50 gender distribution-“ said Emily, fuming.

“50.8% female,” corrected Reid.

“50-50,” repeated Emily. “Let’s go with 1000 special agents. That’s 192 women and 808 men. I’d say we’re underrepresented, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I’m not saying you aren’t and I’m not saying that you shouldn’t want to change that,” said Derek defensively. “I’m just saying that… Damn it, kid, save me and bring out the stats.”

“According to the last census, the percentage of white people excluding Hispanic, is 60.4%, Hispanic 18.3%, African American 13.4%, Asian 5.9%, and other 2%. Among FBI agents, we currently have 83.4% white, 6.5% Hispanic, 4.4% African American, 4.5% Asian and the rest. If we do the calculations as you proposed then white people are overrepresented by 138.1%, and African Americans are the least represented group with only 32.8% of the total population being covered. As far as gender is concerned, men are overrepresented by 164.2% while female agents only make up 37.8% of what they should. In conclusion, both of you are part of a group, be it race or gender, that is severely underrepresented in the FBI.”

“That’s just depressing,” muttered Emily.

“Yeah,” said Derek heavily. He was proud of who he was; he never wanted to be anybody else, but he _hated_ being used as the token black guy. One of the reasons he was so happy in the BAU was because nobody made an issue of it. A few bigots here and there calling him ‘not really black’ or ‘not entirely/fully black,’ but that was it. He was the only black agent on their floor, though, and that was hard sometimes. Not because he felt discriminated in any way but because he knew intimately how badly they were represented and without representation, you could never be sure that your voices were heard.

“Detective Decker told me about her father,” said Lucifer sympathetically, obviously not bothered about the current topic. Lucifer did not really differentiate with people. They were all human, and he did not care. “It caused her to switch careers, from her mother’s to her father’s.”

“What did she do before that?” asked Rossi.

“Actress,” replied Hotch promptly, obviously having followed up on her. “She told you about that?”

“The night she was at Astra, just before your phone call the next day,” answered Lucifer. “Why?”

“Very unusual,” said Hotch thoughtfully. “Detective Decker does not volunteer information like that. She needs to control her surroundings, and you are about as an out-of-control entity as they come.”

“You should meet Loki,” chuckled Lucifer. “ You wouldn’t say that if you did. Regardless, as you know, I am very good at getting people to talk.”

“I’m aware,” said Hotch. “I’m also aware that around the detective, it doesn’t work quite the way you want it to work. And that piques your curiosity. And that she is bright.”

“Worried about me, Agent Hotchner?” smiled Lucifer gently and with no small level of amusement.

“Yes, actually,” was the serious response. “Because you are enthralled by her presence, and it is not based on anything else than her being ‘bright.’ You make easy acquaintances, Lucifer, but you do not make friends lightly. It took you months before you called us friends. With Frank, to whom you connected almost instantly, it also took you weeks before you admitted to being friends. Jana and Ryan are both lovers and since this is how you connect with people, it’s not a surprise you let them in sooner.”

“I did get married rather quickly,” protested Lucifer, but he frowned a bit, confused.

“And it took you weeks before you admitted that being married to her was more than just ‘helping out a stranger’ and ‘that’s just what you do in Vegas, isn’t it?’”

“Your English accent is bordering on being offensive,” was the amused reply, but his expression told them that he had heard Hotch. “She’s not my friend yet, but you have to admit: Detective Decker is enthralling. Not so much over TV. I mean, she’s hot, but face-to-face? I made a star like that once. Burned as hot as a thousand suns, so very bright, but my siblings couldn’t go near it. Dad moved it near a black hole to make sure some of its energy dwindled.”

“That doesn’t sound safe,” said Rossi, frowning a bit.

“Light never is,” smiled Lucifer softly.

“Okay, Icarus,” said Derek, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Stay away from that particular star then.”

“I said my siblings couldn’t go near it. I liked it. I enjoy bright things. Bright things aren’t always safe,” said Lucifer gently.

“Just be careful,” said Hotch softly.

“What do you think she’ll do?” asked Emily defensively. “She’s human. He’s the devil. Odds aren’t exactly in her favor. Just take the speech for what it was. Don’t overanalyze, don’t try to put her down. She’ll leave DC soon if she hasn’t already.”

“You are right,” conceded Hotch after a moment. “We should go back to the hotel. Get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

“Agreed,” said Rossi and they made for the exit.

“That makes it three,” said Reid thoughtfully.

“Three what?”

“Three members of law enforcement that I know whose fathers were police officers that died on duty,” said he, with that distracted tone indicating that he found it interesting and not realizing that his comment had just turned Morgan’s gut upside down.

“Detective Decker, Agent Morgan-“ counted Lucifer and Morgan really hoped this conversation would end soon. “Who else?”

“Elle,” said Reid, his voice stuttering like he had just realized that nothing good could come out of this conversation.

“Special Agent Elle Greenaway?” repeated Lucifer. “I remember her from the old reports, but then she was gone all of a sudden. She returned after being shot. And then there was the case where she went undercover and things did not turn out the way they should. Why did she leave?”

Oh yeah. There was a reason they should not mention her name around Lucifer.

“She decided it was time to leave the force,” said Hotch.

“That is not a reason,” replied Lucifer perceptively. “It’s barely more than a repetition of what I asked. You told me, Agent Hotchner, in the very beginning of our acquaintance that, after so many years, I needed a specific reason – trigger, you called it – to leave Hell. If she joined the force to honor her father, she needed a better reason to leave.”

“That last case you mentioned, it did not go the way any of us intended,” said Hotch quietly. That was to put it mildly. Elle had gone undercover and she had lost her nerve because she had not trusted Hotch to be her backup, because only a few months prior she had been shot in her home after he had sent her home. It had not been Hotch’s fault, but it could have gone better. Her loss of nerves allowed the UnSub to walk free. After that, it had been very likely that she had killed their UnSub in cold blood and without provocation. Derek knew Hotch had suspected her of it, but he had not found any evidence. “I did not handle the situation well.”

“If she had a problem with your leadership, she would have remained at the FBI, or at least, the force,” said Lucifer. “I’m not stupid, Agent Hotchner. I read the report you filed. She did not kill that man out of self-defense or to protect someone else. She _punished_ him.”

“He was a monster,” said Hotch. “It wasn’t right, none of it, but I was glad not to find any evidence. She did not deserve her life ruined over that man.”

“Yet, that’s precisely what she did,” was the merciless reply. “By her own leave. I read the case file. I know what he did. He’ll get his just desserts, but she killed him, not on the job, but deliberately and without remorse. Humans always think they’re exempt from the rulesl, because they think they know what they’re doing, and damning themselves in the process.”

“Are you saying she’ll go to Hell?” whispered Reid, utterly aghast and pained.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her. If she did what I think she did, yes, she will.”

The statement was painful to hear. Derek had liked Elle. They had never been close, but they had been colleagues, teammates; he had respected her.

“That’s not fair,” said Reid. “You don’t understand-“

“Oh, I understand, Dr. Reid,” was the sharp reply. “I understand that you want to bend the rules because it’s someone you care about.” He shook his head before he said hoarsely, “I truly hate to disappoint you, young one, but if I don’t uphold the Laws, the ones I believe in, the… Michael and Raguel are often called that, but I’m the Angel of Justice. Humans like talking about anarchy, but if I suddenly decided that the rules don’t apply just because I like the person, then the universe will have to pay for it.”

“It’s just one soul. Just a lighter,” said Reid quietly, not giving up so easily. “Nobody will know.”

“I will.” Lucifer’s voice was full of pain, the pain of someone who had seen too much and barely managed to soldier on. “It may mean little to you, Dr. Reid, these rules. You just know you’re supposed to uphold them, because it’s what people do, because it’s rational, because it’s humane. They’re part of me. I brought these rules to humanity because I was sick and tired of cleaning up your own messes. I brought these rules to the gods because what they did to each other was beyond what a human could ever conceive,” Lucifer hissed. “Killing each other, fighting each other, for no other reason than pettiness and greed, always thinking that they had a better reason than others.” He spoke faster and his eyes flashed red. “One after another and feud after feud, eye for an eye for all of eternity until they don’t even remember why they hated each other, it just was. And blood, so much blood and grief and vows of vengeance, steel and fire, ice and stone. There isn’t an element that has not been used for war, and I’m sick of it! If I let it go once,” he scoffed, “it woud be like that infamous flap of a butterfly’s wings and Earth would cease to exist.”

“Did you ever?” muttered Reid, miserable. “Let it go?”

“Once. Long time ago,” said Lucifer, “before I was the devil, long before I fell. He was mine, one of the first ones.” A dragon then. “He didn’t hurt the others, but he hurt a canine spirit.” He closed his eyes. “He was a predator. Killing is part of their nature, but that’s not why he did it. He did it because he wanted something that did not belong to him. I… He was mine. I couldn’t,” he breathed. “I let it go. Dad found out and dealt out Celestial Justice. You think Sodom and Gomorrah was bad?” He shuddered. “Ever since, there has been a certain mistrust between the dragons and the canine spirits. An inherited suspicion neither of which truly understand. That too is my fault.” He shook his head distractedly, “As for your question, Dr. Reid, I cannot let it go, because if I don’t, bad things will happen.”

And that was the end of the conversation. Derek decided that this was enough, stepped between the two, snaked an arm around Reid’s stiffening shoulders and wrapped his other arm around Lucifer’s waist and said, “Come on, let’s head back.”

Thankfully, the others immediately followed suit and while JJ cheered up Reid the way only she could – mostly by showing him cute videos of Henry having him coo over the images – and Emily and Rossi made Lucifer laugh. Hotch nodded his thanks.

By the time they were back at the hotel, Reid said to Lucifer that he understood and that he would never want to change him, “I just wish there was something I could do. For her. And you.”

“I won’t speak for her. Perhaps, a few years down the line, I might be able to shift punishement. If I can,” said Lucifer quietly. “For me? Just don’t-don’t make me do it again.”

“Do what?” asked Reid.

“Punish someone I care about.”

“You didn’t,” frowned Reid.

“But I wish I had, and I promised to myself I would,” was the reply. “And I’m a devil of my word.”

That deserved a hug. Derek put his hand around Lucifer’s neck and he let the angel’s forehead touch his shoulder, “We won’t.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

The next day was much, much better. As always, Lucifer bounced back from the heavy topics with inhuman ease. He obviously felt bad, though, because he spent no small amount of their drive trying to mend things with Reid by talking to him about magic. Reid, the devil bless his clueless soul, did not realize that this was Lucifer’s way of trying to rekindle something that was not even broken – and Derek hated the fact that Lucifer even felt like he needed to – and happily enganged in the conversation.

“-Where else can power be weaved into, then? I mean, you mentioned Madam Bouvier weaving protection into Garcia’s necklace.”

“The one Agent Morgan has with him now, yes,” said Lucifer.

“How the hell do you know that?” said Morgan, utterly flabbergasted. He had it hidden in his pocket. Garcia had insisted that he took it along.

“I told you, this one holds enough power for me to sense it. It wards off dark energies. Not as efficiently as my presence will, but well enough.” Right, devil. He knew that. Of course, he knew that, but still. “As for your question: a lot of things, but especially paper. Amazing invention, paper. I still remember the first time I saw it. I was fascinated. Something so thin, so fragile, so meticulously crafted. Born from pure human effort by the help of the classical elements: wood or earth as the material, water to make it malleable, air and fire to dry it all. It's an excellent vessel and can store quite a bit of energy if you know what you're doing.”

“Do you have an example?”

“Old documents, in general. Let’s just say that a spirit with ill intensions could not enter my penthouse without having its virtual hair seared off. That is, if they are foolish enough to go there. Or-” Derek could hear him reach into his pocket and, while he did not see what he extracted, he could guess from his next words. “The devil’s own playing cards, of course. I always keep a deck on me. Just in case. Hasn’t been necessary so far.”

“What do they do?” asked Reid, who was riding in the back and was now so close to sitting in Lucifer’s lap that Derek had to remind the genius that if he had to hit the brakes for whatever reason, Reid would sail through the windshield. Lucifer dismissed it saying he would catch him in time causing Morgan to pull to the side and order Lucifer into the back of the car.

Really, these two talking magic was like herding cats. It was not that Derek did not want to sit with them and hear about magic, too, he was just grumpy that he had to be the responsible one while they went through Lucifer’s deck as he explained what each card could do.

Apparently, there was one card that sent you straight to purgatory ( _“Not really purgatory. That’s Roman Catholic propaganda. We call this section of Hell that because… Well, we had to store Dante somehwere and leaving him in his room for self-punishment was too dangerous.’ - ‘Why?’ – ‘Do you have any idea how much he offended my demons? The way Dante described Hell forever changed society’s views on it.’_ ), another one with a reverse pentagram on it was particularly scary _(‘If it comes into contact with another reverse pentagram, the effects can be quite devastating. Like adding a flame to gunpowder. But I mostly use it to inactivate the effects of a true pentagram.’ – ‘Why?’ – ‘While they have little effect on me, it can hurt hellbound creatures and excuse me if I don’t want anyone to electrocute my hellhounds.’ – ‘How do you know whether the drawn pentagram is reverse or true?’ – ‘Intent.’ – ‘That’s not really an answer.’ – ‘I guess it’s not.’_ ).

“So, I gotta ask, man, are they on our side?” asked Derek as he pulled into the clearing and gesturing toward where they would meet with High Priestess Davis and her coven.

“Our side?” repeated Lucifer, genuinely surprised.

“Do they listen to Celestial propaganda or do they know you’re a good soul stuck with a lousy job?” clarified Derek.

“Most witch covens reject the devil’s work and worship the Light, so I guess the answer to your question is: kind of, but not really. Why ‘our’ side?” The question was asked innocently, but Derek could feel the burning curiosity beneath.

“You kidding me, man?” asked Derek, while they exited the car. “I’m all yours. I’m never going to bow to some God of abstract justice that I don’t understand.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed you to be the kind of person to read Rudyard Kipling,” smiled Lucifer, his eyes shining brightly, almost inhumanly bright.

Derek laughed, “I was the only man in a household of four. Sarah trained me well.”

“You might want to mention that to Agent Prentiss,” said Lucifer, amused.

“Nah, man, I haven’t walked in their shoes. Would be too much like claiming to have a black friend, you know,” said Derek. “Damn uncomfortable things as far I’m concerned, their shoes,” he clarified, just in case Lucifer did not follow.

“Uncomfortable yes, but they often do look fabulous,” said Lucifer. “And they are excellent weapon material.”

Derek chuckled. Lucifer loved his suits, but it did not surprise Derek in the least that he had tried on heels at some point. A self-proclaimed ‘leg man’ like Lucifer with no understanding regarding gender stereotypes would naturally wear women’s shoes at some point.

Yet another reason why one should follow this angel rather than his cruel father. Whether it was deliberate or not, Lucifer was a big believer in walking a thousand miles in someone else’s shoes. It made him such an excellent judge.

“Good morning, Priestess Davis,” said Derek formally when they saw her emerge from the woods. She was wearing what Derek assumed was formal wear, a hooded, white cloak made of cotton.

“Agent Morgan, is it?” said she much more pleasently than the day before, but she looked worried. “I do hope nothing happened last night.”

No, it had not, he reassured her, which may sound like good news, but was never a positive sign. It meant that their well-controlled UnSub was not following his routine.

“Mr. Fletcher and Dr. Reid, correct? Come with me. What do you know of Mabon?”

Reid looked at Lucifer who just smiled and gestured him to ‘go on.’

“It is a mid-harvest festival where pagan religions celebrate the end of the second harvest. Thanksgiving, one could say. It’s also a celebration to find balance and to celebrate the Dark Mother, the darkness residing within all,” said Reid.

“Good,” said she curtly. “I know you’re not here for pleasantries. Please, come with me and talk to my coven, but be as respectful as you can be.”

“Of course, will you be holding a vigil?” asked Derek. This was a personal question, but it was an important one. While he absolutely understood the urge to go back to normal afte a horrific crime, the way people dealt with tragedy and violent crime was an indicator regarding their behavior.

“Yes, remembrance is important,” said she, “especially after harvest. We will ask for protection of our community, everyone in town.”

She led them through forest terrain with sure steps and wearing nothing but very delicate shoes. Her steps were near-silent, and Derek felt uncommonly loud. Reid was not made for the forest. His steps were halting and a bit clumsy. Lucifer walked with his designer shoes with the same ease and elegance humans could not hope to imitate in hiking gear. They walked into a clearing where the rest of the coven was preparing a bonfire as well as what looked like a potluck with foods that reminded Derek of a renaissance fair. People were quiet, subdued; it was quite clear that these murders had a huge impact on these festivities. There were children close by playing within sight of the parents. As had already been estbalished, the coven consisted of eight men and Derek counted fifteen women apart from the high priestess.

“My friends,” said Priestess Davis, “these are the gentlemen I was talking about: Dr. Reid, Special Agent Morgan and Mr. Fletcher. Let us welcome them in our midst.”

They looked apprehensive, but that was to be expected since they had undoubtedly been informed why they were here. In the course of the morning, Morgan talked to several members. They were all just regular people with a slightly more exotic religion, but based on what Lucifer had told them, they had a higher chance of being heard by the deities they prayed to than monotheistic religions. Not that he was thinking about joining a pagan religion. He was not the worshipping type, and he was friends with the devil; he did not need anything more.

However, if Derek was not careful, there was a chance the coven would adopt Reid. It was quite clear that Reid was fascinated by everything this entailed and in turn, the coven was very pleased with Reid who took all of their beliefs very seriously and brought a whole fountain of knowledge of his own that everyone, including the high priestess, tapped into eagerly. It helped he was about as non-threatening as they came.

“After this is over, I must teach him some of the knowledge held by the Celtic druids,” said Lucifer quietly to Derek once they had a moment to themselves. “He’d fit well into the mindset. I think the oral literature will enthrall him.”

“He loves his books,” said Derek.

“Yes, but this would challenge him in a way writing cannot.”

Now Lucifer had barely talked to anyone; he had moved around the bonfire, flirted here and there, but despite the fact he was probably the most visible person in the clearing with clothing that could barely fit less into the environment, he was mostly invisible.

“You notice anything?”

“Their guardian must have been to Avalon,” said Lucifer. “Most of the symbols are generic, but some I have not seen any many years and they were not exactly known to humans; not even back in the days.”

“Okay, good or bad?”

“Can’t say. I still don’t think these murders were the deeds of the guardian. Not because they wouldn’t kill to protect but because I could probably tell,” said Lucifer.

“And Avalon?”

“Just a sacred place where the branches of Yggdrasil grew strong and thick. The dream of every magic wielder and those who wanted to be near it. It did not belong to humans and was only open to humans who knew the secrets and truly worshipped its keepers. When these beliefs gave way to Christianity, the place disappeared, as did the Celtic Gods.” He smiled. “This here, it’s good. There is a lot of Light weaved into this community. Very deep faith. A lot of knowledge was lost, but they are piecing things together quite well.”

They were all called to lunch, and Lucifer happily sat down next to Reid, with Derek to his left.

Derek knew they should go back. None of these people had any motif; moreover, he had sent the names to Garcia for a background check and they all came up clean. Hohenwald was too much of a smalltown, though, and he heard his babygirl cuss over the phone about ‘too many connections.’ After a quick call with Hotch, he decided to stay because the alternative was talking to Pastor Graham’s flock, and boy, did JJ and Hotch pick the short straw with that congregation. They had no viable suspect. None of them appeared capable of that level of organization. That of course left the Satanists, but Rossi and Prentiss had zero lead to go on. They decided therefore to stick with these three minor congregations for now to cover their bases, but as of now, none of these groups appeared to contain a member that would fit the profile, which widened their suspect pool even further.

“Dr. Reid, I’m curious,” said one of the members, Sarah, “and don’t hesitate to tell me about stepping over my boundaries, but what do you believe?”

“I was agnostic,” said Reid after a moment. “By definition, an atheist does not believe in any deity, and I didn’t, but agnostics neither believe nor disbelive in a god, and that suited me better, because I found that there is no evidence to prove or disprove the existence of a divine being, but I was open to being contradicted. And I was.” Lucifer stiffened a tiny bit.

“You found religion,” concluded Kate. “And pray, what is that religion?”

“I didn’t find religion exactly,” said Reid, frowning. “Divinity is simply no longer an abstract or a hypothetical thought game. And I’m okay with that. It opens the mind, I think, to extend our thoughts beyond what we can scientifically measure. I quite enjoy it,” he smiled.

“What about you, Agent Morgan?” asked Carl curiously. He was respected in the coven, was often referred to as a high priest, though he obviously looked to Marianne for guidance.

“Full circle for me,” said Derek. “I grew up with religion, found it to be bogus, abandoned it, only to be hit over the head again with the fact that I was wrong. Like Dr. Reid, I’m okay with it, though.”

With Lucifer at least.

And whatever he told them.

He still had a bone to pick with Lucifer’s Dad.

They were quiet, and for the second time in two days, Derek noticed that yet again, people kind of glossed over the very obvious, very visible presence of Lucifer. He had been introduced as the religious expert of the group. It made no sense not to ask him the same question. None of them did, however.

“Okay, out with it,” said Derek, pulling the devil to the side. “What did you do?”

Lucifer smiled, “Nothing much, I assure you. Agent Hotchner doesn’t want this town to become grounds for a minor religious war… or skirmish. The presence of a Celestial might be the spark to start it all, so I took precautions.” He pulled out a card from his pocket.

“Forget-me-Nots?” frowned Derek. “Why are they yellow?”

“Yellow cancels blue,” said Lucifer quietly. “Technically, they are Forget-me’s. It’s a small charm, but I thought it to be necessary for this case. I’m just another face. Less than that, really.”

Derek breathed, “Shit, man, you shouldn’t have to.”

Cancelling out someone with abandonment issues the size of the universe was a stressor. Take that together with the healing process Lucifer was going through and it was no wonder his friend was so on edge.

“No worries,” smiled Lucifer. “Anonymity can be freeing.”

Soon after, they were called off. Hotch wanted to discuss the case. They still had no profile to speak of and decided to meet half-way, which was near the edges of the forest where the bodies were found. Rossi and Emily had – in addition to the Satanists –talked to several family members or friends of the victims and the only connection they had found next to the fact they all came from Hohenwald was the fact that they were extremely well-respected and known in town for being good people. That was not much, especially not in a small town where people were rather close-knit.

“Let’s face it, Hotch. We’re nowhere,” said Emily as soon as they briefly summarized their progress. “We’ve got nothing. Snake venom may be highly symbolic for many religions, but even if Pastor Graham’s church does occasional snake handling, this might as well be some personal connection for the UnSub, completely unrelated to these congregations. There is no common victimology, nothing. What do we have?”

“Somebody who might know more,” said Lucifer. “The guardian is non-human and while they haven’t been here, they may have picked up something. It is ther territory after all. If nothing else, my curiosity will be satisfied. I’d like to join Mabon tonight.”

“Of course,” said Hotch. “Do you need someone to stay with you?”

“Well, Agent Morgan and Dr. Reid for sure, but you should all join,” said the devil gently. “I know this case is important and possibly taxing, but we have no lead, do we? Perhaps this will clear all of our heads. I’m not telling you to forget. I’m telling you to breathe.”

He was right. They were walking in circles, so distracted by religious tension they had not really considered the possibility that this might not have anything to do with any of that. After reporting back to the Police Chief where they would go – though Hotch did not tell the team how he had explained why they should do it alone (just in case something supernatural happened) and why the whole team came along (they were all curious).

“Leave it here,” said Lucifer to Derek in the car, pointing to the pocket where Garcia’s necklace was stored.

“I thought you said it won’t work because it’s not Garcia wearing it.”

“Doesn’t meant they won’t know what this is, and they’ll misinterpret it to thinking it’s meant to protect against them. They are dual creatures, Light and Darkness weaved together. It won’t work, but it will anger them.”

He put it in the glove compartment. Again, they were picked up, this time by Carl.

“Where are the kids?”

“Silvia and Richard are this year’s caretakers. They took them all to their home for a sleepover,” explained Carl. “Like Marianne said, this isn’t Beltane, but we are calling for the Guardian’s protection tonight and they are of the fearie folk.” After a moment of silence, he added, “They said that they were not child stealers, but certain rules should be abided to.”

The festival was very much like a party, Rennaissance fair style. There was singing, dancing, and a lot of food. They were invited to participate, but they restricted themselves to the eating part only.

“You should join,” said Reid to Lucifer. “You love music and singing.

“They invited Lou Fletcher to Mabon, Dr. Reid, not the devil,” smiled Lucifer, munching on a piece of bread, not at all bothered by that.

Later, there was a half-hour vigil and a plea to the Goddess that the killer was found and brought to justice. It was carefully worded and not a ritual according to Lucifer’s expert ears. It was clear that the only ritual they would perform would be reserved to calling the guardian. As the sun went down, they started the bonfire and the team was asked to step aside just a bit, while they prepared their rituals. They formed a circle around the fire and began to chant.

_“Waning sun I feel you cooling;_

_waning day I see you darkening;_

_cooling, darkening winter comes_

_as the sun blazes away.”_

This was followed by a song in a language Derek did not know. Automatically, he looked to Lucifer who said, “Oh, that’s interesting. That is a Gaelic dialect, and an ancient one. They are calling for the Guardian of Lake, the Daughter of Nimüe, of the Faerie Folk. Hulda.”

“Is that the name of the guardian?” asked Aaron.

“It’s got to be. It makes sense. Poor thing,” muttered the devil quietly. “All alone.”

The fire dimmed and from its center, a figure emerged. If Derek had not known Lucifer, the display would have turned his world upside down. As it was, he just stepped a little bit closer to their consultant. She was definitely female with long, wild hair that looked both as white as mist and greenish-blue like a quiet lake. Her face was pale and she was tall, almost as tall as Derek and Reid. She turned in the fire stepping over embers like they were nothing. When she saw Marianne, she smiled, “Has it been a year already?”

That explained why this holiday was so important to them. If the guardian, Hulda, only appeared once a year, today had to be more important for this covent than the major pagan holidays.

“Hulda,” said Marianne, bowing to her respectfully but without reverence. “We have guests with us tonight.”

Eyes as green as algae followed the high priestess’ pointing hand; Hulda froze momentarily. Derek did not blink and suddenly the tall faerie stood in front of them staring at Lucifer.

“Is it you?” asked Hulda, her voice trembling while her hand reached out to Lucifer, who took her hand and smiled. “Are you really here?” The question was a breath in the wind.

“In the flesh, kiddo,” chuckled Lucifer. A moment later, the faerie’s arms were around Lucifer and she started to cry. The sobs were loud and wretched and Derek had heard these kinds of sounds before, usually when someone’s entire world had just shattered (death notification of a child when you still had hope that everything would be fine). This was different, though; this was the sound of someone who had long lost hope and now found it again in the presence of Lucifer. The devil, in turn, just held onto her, not saying a word.

Derek felt the eyes of twenty-two strangers on them and he looked up. Marianne’s mouth was open in shock. Carl looked like someone had just slapped him.

The sobs slowly subsided, but she did not let go, said something in a language foreign to Derek but similar to the chant they had heard before. Lucifer replied easily as he stroked her hair gently and repeatedly.

Seconds later, as if someone had turned a switch, she stepped back, smiled at Lucifer with a mischievous smile that bordered on deranged and she pulled him by the hand toward the fire. Lucifer muttered something in this Gaelic dialect. She just laughed and again, if he had not seen how Lucifer could bounce back from emotional moments, he would have thought her to be insane. They were not. They were simply not human; and that was okay.

“Everyone,” said the now smiling faerie, her face dry as if she had not cried at all, “we have a special guest tonight. It is _Ceathrú_ , son of God and the Goddess. He’ll dance the fire dance.”

“Really?” repeated Lucifer, utterly amused. “And why would I do that, dearest?”

High Priestess Davis stuttered, “He’s… I didn’t-How?”

“My presence is easily explained,” said Lucifer mildly, looking every bit as majestic on the bonfire as his obviously inhuman companion, “I’m here for answers. Justice is my domain. Tell me, Hulda, what do you know about what has occurred here while you were gone?”

“What happened?”

“There is a murderer in these woods. He has killed without conscience. Targeting virtues it seems to me,” continued Lucifer. “We have the embodiment of courage, a veteran, a beloved school teacher known for temperance, a fair judge for justice, a woman known for her faith and a nurse that worked her whole adult life caring for people whose minds threaten to leave before their bodies do, thus representing hope. All we need is charity and prudence or wisdom and the set is complete.”

The whole team just froze. He was right. He was absolutely right. He had mentioned it yesterday, even. What had he said again after Thomas Coleman proclaimed that he wanted to know what happened to Nurse Lane?

_“Yes, yes, yes. She was a paragon of virtue like the war hero and the just judge as well as the beloved teacher.”_

_Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!_

They could have known. Yesterday, they should have known, if only they had listened to Lucifer’s offhand comment. Derek looked at Emily who met his eyes with a shocked, disbelieving expression. It was clear they had realized the same thing. One more glance at the rest of the team told him that the others knew as well.

“That is… sad,” said the faerie, her expression indiscernable. It was clear that to her, the news _was_ sad, but she was not because her coven was safe.

“Have those who died hurt the coven?” asked Lucifer coolly.

She frowned, “No. I’ve never heard of them.”

“Are you sure?” repeated Lucifer.

“Would I lie to you?”

“Yes,” was the resolute answer. “To honor the one you love.”

“He doesn’t even know I exist,” hissed the faerie sharply.

“She probably does,” said Lucifer mercilessly. “He just doesn’t care.”

Faster than Derek could follow, she attempted to slap him, but Lucifer blocked her move just as quickly, “They worship chaos and love only one, Hulda. If you cannot accept that, it’ll only hurt you in the end.”

Hulda chuckled darkly, “Worse than it already has?”

“Yes, because you may belong to the faerie folk that thrives in the darkness that comes with equinox. You may have learned to dance in the Circle, but you are of the Lake and he is fire and chaos. Being caught up in that vortex will destroy you.”

“I am of the water,” was Hulda’s resolute response. “Fire doesn’t scare me.”

“And he’d evaporate you in a heartbeat,” said Lucifer. The flames danced around him, but did not touch him (Derek already knew he would complain about the smell of smoke in his suit, though). “Did you kill them?”

“No.”

Lucifer appeared to believe her and stepped down from the fire, “Thank you. I am glad to hear it.”

“Wait!” exclaimed Hulda, desperate. “Please don’t leave.” She pulled him back. “Dance with me.”

“A fire dance with me is not something for you, little one,” laughed Lucifer. His voice was not particularly unkind, but it was not gentle either. “I refuse to help you burn up like a falling star.”

Unbrittled rage appeared on her features and Derek automatically reached for his gun, “I’m not a child anymore.”

“No, you’re not,” said Lucifer quietly. “You’re Hulda, Guardian of the Lake, Nimüe’s daughter, Faerie of the Celts. And you’d burn. For what it’s worth, I’ve already celebrated the Light and the day. I’ll let you have the night. See you around, little one.” With that he stepped down, removed the ‘Forget-me’ card from his pocket and threw it into the fire. Flames flared forming a circle; Hulda elegantly and quickly jumped into the middle. She gave a quick nod to Lucifer and lifted her arms above her head chanting a song that the coven joined. The coven focused entirely on her as if… oh.

“Let’s go,” said the devil. “I enjoy Mabon by day, but the night doesn’t belong to the Lightbringer. I have my answers.”

“What did you do?” asked Rossi.

“I cannot make people forget,” was the reply. “I believe in free will and making them forget would be a violation of that, but what I did, is shift their attention. They saw me, but they couldn’t place me. They know what happened, they saw me in the fire, but whenever they try to pin me down, all they remember is a white, glistening, divine Light appearing while they performed the Mabon rituals, and they’ll assume that it was a strange reflection of the sun.”

“How come we don’t go through the same thing?” asked JJ.

“Because you know me and I did not want you to,” explained Lucifer… or tried to. Did this mean he could if he wanted to? Or did it only work on strangers?

“What’s her story?” asked Reid instead.

“Hulda, Daughter of Nimüe was a Guardian of the Lake, protecting the Path to Avalon. When she was the equivalent of… Ms. Lawrence’ age, she met Loki.”

“She fell in love with them,” concluded Emily.

“Heads-over-heels,” sighed Lucifer. “When faeries fall, they fall hard and painfully. Whether or not Loki noticed, I am not sure, but fact remains that he wanted to lavish in the brightness that was Avalon and she made sure he got there.”

“Not good?” winced Derek.

“Not good,” confirmed Lucifer. “She was shunned and forced to leave the only home she had ever known, banished from Avalon and its surroundings as well as the Old Land, the place where the Celtic Gods returned after they cut their losses on Earth. I must be the first immortal she has seen ever since, and she was banished years before the Paths to Avalon were closed forever.”

“Did Loki do anything to Avalon?” asked Reid.

“Apart from royally pissing off every Celtic God in vicinity? No. He loves Yggdrasil, he’d never harm it. Good thing, too, or he probably would have pulled the world apart by the seams a long time ago.”

“On that frightening note,” said Emily, “I think we all learned something important.”

“Hm?” asked Lucifer confused. It was clear he had not actually figured out his own important clue in this messy case.

“We have five out of seven virtues, leaving only charity and prudence,” summarized Reid. “We are dealing with an UnSub that kills people because they represent the capital virtues.”

Lucifer tilted his head, “See, so I was right. Mr. Coleman is the only theist Satanist in town and he’s a dark soul.”

“That may be true, but I don’t think it’s him,” contradicted Rossi. “The principles they live by wouldn’t allow it and he’s fully accepted into the group, so no. However, I see where Reid is going with this. Maybe, he affiliates himself with Satanists because he believes that this is what they do: worship the devil and stand against what is good and virtuous. He might be an adaptive Satanist.”

“And the question remains,” said Hotch quietly. “Who’s his next victim? Prudence or charity?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for the Morgan & JJ, Emily ‘females in the force’ discussion – not the race discussion - has been a real conflict in the team in the past, or at least it’s been hinted at. Stats are all real, but probably more current, because I couldn’t find the numbers for 2016. Apologies for the inaccuracies.
> 
> Oh, and just a side-note: the word ‘race’ will never sound right to me and I avoid it at all cost. My first language is German where the word has been abused in the most horrific manner possible, not to mention that the word is synonymous with the word ‘breed’. I know it’s not the same in English, just wanted to put this out there. Language has power and abusing a language has consequences. Long-term.
> 
> Another (much more positive and less depressing) comment: I adored the Arrowverse scene with Lucifer. This is my hommage to it. The scene managed to royally piss me off, too, because it gave me a Chloe-less glimpse of what could have been….
> 
> Another comment: “some God of abstract justic” is from a Rudyard Kipling poem “Female of the Species”. I’m not entirely sure about its background. Apparently an anti-feminist poem hijacked to mean the opposite. Not sure if it true, but if it is, it’s kind of cool, because it proves the entire point of the poem :)  
> Anyway, full quote:  
> “So it comes that man, the coward when he gathers to confer-  
> with his fellow braves in council dare not leave a place for her  
> While at war with life and conscience, he uplifts his erring hands  
> to some god of abstract justice that no woman understands“  
> This can so be interpreted both ways, that a woman cannot understand something as complex as God, or that the “god of abstract justice” made up a bunch of arbitrary rules without rhyme or reason to ensure male dominance. Two guesses, which interpretation Lucifer prefers :)
> 
> References:  
> \- https://theforgottenlibrary.tumblr.com/post/94435119934/faerie-etiquette-what-to-do-if-you-meet-one-of (faerie rules)  
> \- https://psmag.com/social-justice/the-fbi-has-an-ongoing-diversity-problem  
> \- https://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/fbi-diversity-statistics-115428  
> \- https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/LFE046218  
> \- https://www.fbijobs.gov/working-at-FBI/diversity  
> \- https://lionslair.com/Lyrics/Female_of_the_Species.html  
> \- https://www.learnreligions.com/all-about-mabon-the-autumn-equinox-2562286  
> \- https://thecelticjourney.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/faeries/  
> \- http://theancientcelticreligion.weebly.com/principle-beliefs.html  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_virtues  
> \- https://books.google.ch/books?id=JYzmCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT36&lpg=PT36&dq=mabon+chant&source=bl&ots=1nl34OjyIz&sig=ACfU3U2udibnlydJ6bXvn9AtP3k8bV09Ow&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjC7ofYv8rpAhWNysQBHZv8DVwQ6AEwG3oECA8QAQ#v=onepage&q=mabon%20chant&f=false


	7. From Hell and Back...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dromos finally arrives in LA, and both Father Kinley and Chloe get unexpected visitors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there-
> 
> For all those who commented the last chapter: thank you! I replied to most of them. You might not have gotten a notification because AO3 did maintenance.

“What is the purpose for your stay in the United States?”

“My… What in Hell’s name is this?” asked Dromos, flabbergasted. Had he failed? Had he never left Hell and this was his personal loop? To try and reach his lord over and over again, but never succeeding? He had only ever followed Lucifer’s bidding. He did not deserve this. “I’ve answered these questions a dozen time by now.” He approached the booth/desk where the man was sitting and put his hand on the table.

The man’s face was hard to read, and before Dromos knew what was happening, two men approached him and asked him to follow into a small room. The chair was very uncomfortable.

“Mr. Kelly, have you visited the US before?”

“How the Hell would I know?” asked Dromos exasperated. “Aren’t there records of that somehwere? Isn’t this in my permi-passport? Look, all I want is go to my father and warn him. He’s in danger.”

They did not look at all pleased. In fact, they exchange the same kind of expression he had exchanged with Maze when a demon was slow on the uptake. He watched as one of them stepped away extracting a radio. On his way out, Dromos heard him say, ‘ _Crazy Irish guy in Room 5. Need backup.’_

It had not been meant for his ears, and really, these human ears appeared to have very annoying dampeners on them, but he could still hear them. He was Dromos of the Lillim.

“You will let me go, now.”

“Mr. Kelly, calm down.”

That was when he grabbed the other man by the neck and pulled him across the table. The other one pulled out his gun and pointed it at him – he was very familiar with guns – telling him to ‘freeze.’

“I’ve heard that Los Angeles doesn’t tend to have problems with winters,” said Dromos lazily. He knew what ‘freeze’ meant. He was not an idiot. He had tortured enough guilty police officers from all across the world. He just needed the human to get close enough for him to-There! He slapped the gun away, grabbed them both by the collar and pushed them against the wall. Hellfire burned in his veins and he let it shine through his eyes. This had been Lucifer’s gift to him: access to Hellfire. He was not allowed to kill them, but he would maim them if they did not let him leave right this instance.

“Now,” he growled, “I would love to have a lengthy conversation with you, but I must go to my lord and master and warn him about what is to come. You are going to take my piece of paper, stamp it and then let me enter this damned land or I will attend to you personally once you undoubtedly go to Hell.” They probably were not destined for Hell, but anyone this skilled at torturing others at least deserved to apply for a position. Still terrified from the Hellfire, they both whimpered their assurance, and ten minutes later, he waited for his luggage to arrive. He would soon see Lucifer again and he was looking forward to it.

Once outside, Dromos hailed a taxicab and told him where to go _(“I must got to Lucifer.”- “Morningstar? Lux?” – “Yes, precisely. The Lightbringer.” – “Sure.”_ ). Two hours later – he knew what traffic jams were, they too were efficient methods of torture – he finally arrived at the place where Lucifer was supposed to be.

“88.15 USD,” said the driver.

Dromos felt frustration, worry and anger build in his throat and he growled. The man drove away without payment.

This was it. This block of cold concrete and steel was like a beacon of Light in the city of angels. For the first time since Lucifer had left, he felt like he could breathe again. Foreign melodies came from within. Hell could play no music, not really, very much to Lucifer’s despair. Dromos remembered their lord occasionally sneaking into soul rooms containing instruments, letting the loop unfold while he himself played on the piano or whatever instrument was available. They would join him occasionally because Lucifer loved to have an audience and the screaming of tortured souls did not make for good listeners. Dromos himself was ambivalent about music. However, he liked its connection to Lucifer. He heard nothing that resembled Lucifer’s Light, but this was his place, so he had to go in. There was a queue of people waiting to go in.

Good.

He disliked the stupid humans for fearing and hating his lord. It was good to see that these humans saw him for the amazing creature he was, a being worth waiting for. He walked past the queue ignoring the grumbles and protests, and was stopped by two men that wore Lucifer’s stamp of approval so blatantly, they might as well have Lucifer’s name stamped across their foreheads.

“I’m here for Lucifer. He needs me. He’s in danger,” said Dromos. “I am Dromos of the Lilim.”

The two men exchanged glances, then one of them said, “A relative of Mazikeen? One of Lucifer’s former crew?”

“Yes,” exclaimed Dromos, smiling gratefully. “Yes, that is me. She is my sister.” Or something like it; they were both of the Lilim and Lilith was their mother, although she was more Mazikeen’s mother than his.

“She’s not here,” said the man to the left.

“I don’t need to go to her,” said Dromos impatiently. “I ne-“

Where Lucifer was, Mazikeen would follow. As it was, so shall it be, from now until the end. This was her vow.

“Then bring me to her.”

“Look,” said the other calmly. “I don’t know where she is, but Delilah might. Come on, I’ll bring you to her.”

Confused, Dromos followed the human’s steps. He was led inside of the club and Lucifer’s presence enveloped him like a cloak. The human had been truthful. His lord was not here. He would know, but this was his place.

He removed a radio from his pocket and dialed a number, “Delilah, there’s one of Lucifer’s former crew here. He needs to talk to him,” a pause, “I’ll show him. Thanks.” The human pocketed his radio and looked at Dromos, “Come with me. I’ll let you talk to someone who knows where he is.”

Devastated that Lucifer was not here and happy to know that he was a step closer to finding him, he followed the man who led him away from the music and into an elevator.

“Hey, man, is Lucifer going to be okay? Who’s trying to hurt him?”

“His family,” growled Dromos truthfully.

“Assholes,” agreed the human.

“What is your name?” asked Dromos curiously.

“Trevor,” was the response. After a moment of silence, he said, “Been working here for four years. I got fired from my last job for beating up a guy who was getting handsy with the dancers. Was a friend of the boss, unfortunately. Was arrested for assault, had to pay a 1000$-fine and did three months in county jail. Nobody hired me after that. I was in debt, had no job and a criminal record. Then four years ago, there was this beauty of a Chevy left unlocked and unsecured, and its owner was getting busy with that chick who joined all too happily, and then pulled him toward what I assume is her apartment.”

“Don’t tell me you were stupid enough to steal from him?”

Were humans insane? How could they be so blind?

Trevor chuckled, “Yeah, well, he asked me something similar. I’ve no idea how he found me, but there was the guy from whose car I’d just stolen a watch, a suit and cash amounting to 1000 USD, standing in front of my apartment about six hours later telling me that he would like to have the watch returned.”

“That’s all he said?” repeated Dromos disbelievingly.

“Then he asked me what I wanted and I told him. I don’t know why I told him. Next thing I know, I had a steady job.”

“What did he ask you?”

“Whether I would do it again. Beating up that son of bitch who got handsy with one of the girls. Knowing the consequences.”

Dromos had assumed as much, and if this answer had not been a very clear and honest ‘yes,’ Lucifer would have never hired him.

“All I’m saying,” continued Trevor, “is that everyone here, we owe a debt to Lucifer. You’re here to help him, right? Anything we can do?”

Dromos looked into these earnest eyes seeing the spark of the same loyalty Dromos expected from his fellow demons, and he said, “What none of us can give him. Think of him occasionally, even when he isn’t there. Make your gratitude known. You don’t have to tell, just… give your thanks to him.”

Prayer had to come from souls, Dromos knew, and demons could not help with that. They had tried, but it did not work.

“Sure,” said the man shrugging his shoulders in confusion and then he led him down a hallway in front of what looked like an office door. He knocked and they entered. Inside was-

Dromos was on his knees a second later, “Princess, it is an honor!”

She practically glowed with the devil’s protection. She now owned this place, Lucifer’s place, and that made her his successor. They did not have to tell him that for him to _know._ It was obvious, plain as day. Technically, they were both stewards of what belonged to the devil, but Lucifer had transferred ownership and she was a benefactor. She did not do this out of duty or honor; this was all hers, gifted by the King of Hell, and that made her a princess, if not of hell then of this place. She was the devil’s ward.

“Okay,” said she, her voice smooth and sweet, rather angelic, actually. “Lucifer didn’t tell me that would happen. Could you… stand, please? Trevor, could you wait outside, please? I must talk to him in private.”

Dromos obeyed instantly. He smiled broadly at her and he sighed happily, “It is good to see you. I am Dromos of the Lilim.”

“Dromos,” repeated Delilah, “Lucifer has told me that you are now in charge of Hell, and third in command. He’s very proud of you.”

Dromos bit his lips and felt his eyes hurt painfully. These human bodies were very strange indeed. His chest hurt and he felt very happy, so very happy.

“I’m his loyal servant.”

“I know,” said Delilah. “My name is Delilah Curtis. If you aren’t in Hell-“

“It is taken care of for now. The gods of the Underworld have gathered to keep the peace, but I must not lose any time. Lucifer is in danger. Where are they? Lucifer and Mazikeen. Trevor said they were not here.”

“No, they’re not,” confirmed Delilah. “Mazikeen moved around at first, now she settled down with Linda two months ago. She still goes off but only for her job. Lucifer moved to Washington DC a year ago.”

“That makes no sense,” protested Dromos. “Please, my lady, don’t lie to me. Mazikeen is duty-bound to stay with Lucifer.”

“Look,” said Delilah, her voice soft and understanding, “I’m not goint to pretend to know everything, but Mazikeen wanted to spend some time apart from Lucifer to find out who she is-“

“She’s a demon!” exclaimed Dromos, furious. Trevor barged in and Dromos glowered at him with Hellfire in his eye.

“Holy fucking crap!” screamed Trevor and stumbled back before he seemed to realize that Dromos was between Delilah and the door, “Step a-a-way from her, you…”

“She’s Lucifer’s ward,” hissed Dromos. “I would never hurt her.”

“Trevor,” said Delilah very calmly, “breathe. Okay? I’m safe.”

“He-you-he-Lucifer’s really…” He fell on his knees. “I debated the devil on fucking religion?!” His eyes were wide and frightened. “And he let me. Why?”

“Because he’s the devil,” replied Dromos, confused. “He enjoys debates and he always told me that he finds non-believers amusing.”

“Am-I told him that the bible was nothing but a bunch of cautionary tales meant to keep children and adults in line. Laughed about the childishness of these stories,” muttered the man, shaking. “Who are you?”

“Dromos, Steward of Hell.” After a moment, he added, “a demon.”

“A fallen angel?” asked Trevor causing Dromos to frown.

“There is only one fallen angel and that is Lucifer. I am a demon.”

“Okay, ok… Delilah, wha-why…?”

Delilah looked understanding and sweet, a bit like Lucifer when he coaxed souls out of a room. Except for Lily. Lucifer was really bad with the little ones and Dromos was trying! He really was, it just had not worked yet.

“Trevor, let me please talk to Dromos first. Lucifer needs our help. We’ll talk about this in a second, believe me, I understand,” said she.

“I quoted Marx,” muttered Trevor. “I told the devil that the idea of Heaven and Hell was utterly ridiculous and that there was no true justice.”

Dromos tilted his head, “That was very foolish. He is justice.”

Humans were strange. He knew some of them thought Lucifer was evil. He had known some had never seen any evidence for the existence of the divine and thus, did not believe. However, how could you meet Lucifer, talk to him and still not see?

He knew intimately that human senses were muted, but were they truly that crippled? How could you stand in front of Lux and not see that this was the Lightbringer’s home?

“Trevor, please,” repeated Delilah and the man left numbly. “What has you so upset?” she asked Dromos. “Both Maze and Lucifer were fine with parting ways.”

“Parting w-“ Horrified, Dromos stared at his lord’s ward. “There are no ways to part. She is a demon, his second. She’s supposed to be by his side.”

“Well,” said Delilah, “they both decided that it’s fine this way, but I will call her and let her know.”

“Call, yes, call-no, call Lucifer. I need to talk to Lucifer,” said Dromos berating himself for not thinking of that sooner.

“Of course,” said Delilah and took her phone out. She waited for a moment with the phone pressed to her ear before she smiled, “Hey, you.”

It sounded like a very personal greeting.

“No,” said Delilah, “I am good. Sorry for calling so late. You’re still on that case, correct? Look, we have a visitor here who’d like to talk to you.” A pause. “Dromos of the Lilim.” Dromos could hear Lucifer’s exclamation of surprise. Even that small sound from the devil’s lips calmed Dromos instantly. He was fine. Lucifer was fine.

“Here,” said Delilah gently, and handed over the previous piece of human technology that would carry the voice of his lord.

“Lucifer?” asked Dromos, his own voice trembling.

_“Dromos?”_

It was him, definitely. Dromos craddled the phone gently since he could not hug Lucifer or bow before him, “I found you. I found you.”

_“Dromos, what happened?”_

He told him everything: about the soul babbling about the conspiracy of the angels.

Two angels at least, probably more, one of them definitely being the Angel of Death and the other the Angel of Time.

_“Azrael?”_

Dromos had not heard that tone in a long while. It had been after Bastet had tempted several demons into rebelling against Lucifer. He had spoken in that monotone voice as well. Dromos did not like to hear it.

“For sure, her, yes.”

_“Dad wants to trap me in Hell?”_ he sounded doubtful. _“I mean it’s possible, but he hasn’t complained so far and I thought-Never mind. Dromos, how did you get here?”_

Dromos knew it was time to confess, “I went against your orders, Lucifer. I possessed the human’s body who told me about the danger. I had to come and warn you.”

_“Who’s ruling Hell in your absence?”_

He told him.

_“That is a dangerous bargain you made with Loki,”_ was all Lucifer said, and Dromos lowered his head in shame.

“Yes, but I didn’t know-“

_“That is not to say it was the wrong decision, just that it’s a dangerous bargain. Say, have you heard whether Raphael is involved?”_

The healer?

“He isn’t involved in the conspiracy as far as I know, but he was mentioned by both angels. Amenadiel said you wouldn’t listen to Raphael, just like you wouldn’t listen to Azrael directly for they are your nestlings. What does that mean, my lord?”

He knew little of angels apart from what Lucifer had told him over the years.

_“It means that I directly contributed to their upbringing. I taught them, nursed them, protected them_.”

He sounded to sad. It reminded Dromos of how he spoke of Lily.

“I’m still trying, Lucifer. Every day, I go by her cell and talk to her, but she keeps on forgetting and I-“

_“Dromos, Dromos, stop,”_ said Lucifer, sounding more pained then before. _“Thank you. I-”_

Dromos’ stupid human fingers stopped working and the phone slipped from his hand and fell onto carpet.

He had thanked him. Lucifer never thanked them. He might nod. Nodding meant that you had done a good job, but Lucifer never verbally said ‘thank you.’

“- _mos!”_ Lucifer’s voice sounded through the phone on the ground, alarmed. Before Dromos could pick it up, Delilah crouched down, pressed a button and then said, “All good, Lucifer. He dropped the phone.”

“ _Okay,”_ Lucifer, exhaling softly. He could now hear him even without the phone pressed against his ear. _“Dromos, thank you, you’ve done well. You had no other means to contact me and you were frightened. I don’t approve, but I understand.”_

“Are you Lucifer?”

He knew it had to be. It was his voice. He had seen that side of Lucifer in action before, but with Dromos and other demons, Lucifer was not nearly as leniant.

A chuckle was the answer, which sounded lot like his lord, _“Yes, it’s me. I’ve been told that verbal expressions of gratitude and understanding are excellent grounds for motivation of your staff. That and money. I found that I haven’t really thanked you for your services.”_

“Always, Lucifer,” said Dromos, his heart pounding so heavily against his ribcage, he wondered if they could jump right through the chest. _“What do we do?”_

Lucifer exhaled harshly, “You grab Mazikeen and fly to DC. I’m not there right now. I’m finishing up this case-“

“No!” interrupted Dromos, frightened. “What if they get you?”

_“You mean what if the Angels of Death and Time go up against the devil when he’s found a human to punish? I’d like to see anyone get between me and my domain.”_

Now that growl Dromos knew. It was familiar; it calmed him. As long as he hunted down the damned soul, Lucifer would be fine.

“And then?”

_“I don’t know. You want me back, don’t you?”_ asked Lucifer, confused. _“That’s why you talk to the little girl. You think you do that and all will be fixed.”_

Dromos wanted to cry, “Yes. She’ll be safe and you’ll come back.”

_“Dromos…”_

“We miss you,” said he hastily. “Things have been so much darker since you left.” There had been a question in there somewhwere in Lucifer’s earlier comment. He knew his lord; he knew he wanted that unspoken question answered, “I want you back, but not like this. Not forcibly. Not without the option to leave.”

It would break him and breaking Lucifer meant to break everything. How could these stupid, arrogant angels not see that?

Lucifer did not speak until he said, _“I appreciate it, Dromos. Thank you for warning me. I’ll take precautions. For one I’ll check if one, two or three out of three decided I was better of trapped in Hell.”_

“Three what?”

_“Siblings that decided to reconnect for some reason,”_ said Lucifer softly. “ _Delilah will help you contact Mazikeen. And Dromos?”_

“Yes?”

_“No more possessions, no more demonic punishments and you will give me the name of everyone I need to repay for bringing you to DC.”_

“They gave it to me freely,” protested Dromos weakly.

_“After you threatened it out of them,”_ scoffed the devil, both amused and reproachful.

“Illiberality is a sin!”

_“Not really worthy of being threatened with fire and brimstone, is it?” was Lucifer reply._

“You were in danger!”

_“Thank you,”_ was all Lucifer said, efficiently silencing Dromos into mute nodding.

“I’ll compile a list of people to reward,” continued Dromos. “And I have a lot of plans about torture rooms.” Lucifer’s curious ‘ _yes?_ ’ was his permission to continue. “You see, it starts with a giant airport and you have to walk for miles and miles, but your luggage is so heavy you can barely move, and-“ He elaborated and elaborated, while Delilah left the office after putting a comforting hand on his shoulder and he suddenly knew why Lucifer had made her his ward. She was as kind as he was.

Lucifer listened.

He was good at that. Lucifer loved talking, but sometimes, when he knew the other person really needed it, he was a good listener. And Dromos needed to get it all off his chest. Occasionally, in between pauses, Lucifer woul say _‘well done’_ or chuckle about some of Dromos’ new ideas. Unfortunately, Lucifer said ‘ _no_ ’ to the field trip to Earth, so that demons could be inspired by human torture methods.

He had just hung up the phone when he heard a sound from the door. There she was in all her glory.

_“How could you?”_ hissed Mazikeen in the language of demons.

_“How could_ you _?_ ” snarled Dromos, staring at the only demon allowed to command him. “ _How dare you leave him unprotected?_ ”

“ _He’s the devil,_ ” Mazikeen rolled her eyes. “ _He’s a big boy and can take of himself. Nothing on Earth is a threat to him._ ”

“What about Heaven?” spat Dromos, enraged.

Mazikeen gritted her teeth, “ _I didn’t expect Amenadiel to be that desperate_.”

Dromos growled, “ _Of course he is. He patrols the Gates. Hates it. Complains about it so loudly it agitates the dogs_.” He was not done with her. “ _If any of us had done this to Lucifer, you’d cut our tongues out and handed them over to Kadiempembe_.”

“ _Lucifer decided it was best if we struck out on our own_.”

“ _And when have you ever cared what Lucifer decided?_ ” She would question him constantly. Honestly, Dromos had no idea why Lucifer accepted it. Welcomed it even. There were only few lines Mazikeen had not crossed, and Dromos knew that if he dared a tenth of what she had gotten away with, Lucifer would punish him severely.

“ _I decided and he agreed_ ,” spat Mazikeen. “ _Now, want to stay here all day or actually help?”_

It was too much.

Without his presence, she would not even know that there was a danger to handle. He did not care if she beat his ass from here to the Fires of Tyre. She barely escaped his blow and that was when Dromos realized two things: Lucifer had given him Hellfire and Mazikeen had grown soft. With a feral snarl and without hesitation, he attacked. Mazikeen, the most skilled torturer of Hell and Lucifer’s right hand, stood no chance. Oh, she blocked the blows and hit back, but there was no true ferocity. He slammed her against a wall making sure she would feel her skull pound for hours.

“Stop!” shouted a voice Dromos recognized it to be Delilah’s. He halted instantly. Now, Maze drove her fist into that human jaw. That was more like it, thought Dromos ferociously. He grinned as he got up again.

“STOP!”

Both demons stopped and stared at her. Delilah was furious, scared to death and devastated, “Stop it. You both want to help Lucifer. If you can’t, then I’ll do it.”

“Just a friendly chat between colleagues, Delilah,” said Mazikeen calmly, her choice of words so very modern, so very human. “Sorry. We’re going now.”

Dromos bowed to Lucifer’s ward and followed Mazikeen. As soon as they were out of earshot, he continued their conversation in their native tongue, “ _Beating you wasn’t hard, Mazikeen. You won’t be of use against angels this way.”_

Mazikeen said nothing in return, which meant she knew it, too. Grimly, he followed her. Lucifer knew of his presence. He was not angry. Now they had to go to that other city of two letters. He asked Mazikeen to tell him about their time on Earth and why Lucifer had switched homes.

* * *

It was three o’clock in the morning when her phone rang.

“Father Kinley, what-?”

“ _You must come as soon as possible_ ,” said the man. _“We have visitors.”_

He hung up without further explanation and Chloe practically jumped out of her bed, got dressed, grabbed her gun and called for a cab, while she was on her way down. Who was with him? The devil? One of his henchmen? Was Father Kinley alright?

She wished she were within her jurisdiction because that would allow her to put on the siren and get there in no time. Instead, she was forced to sit in a car with a grumpy cab driver who had no hurry to get where she needed to be. She jumped out of the car as soon as she had paid her fare; her gun ready, she approached the parish quickly. Some of the nuns were outside, kneeling and praying.

“What happened?”

“It’s a miracle,” whispered one of them. She looked utterly shell-shocked. Her whole body was trembling. “Angels. Angels are in our chapel. It’s a miracle.”

Her gun still out just in case, she approached the chapel and silently entered it. There was Father Kinley on his knees as well, his hands folded in a praying position. By the altar were three figures: an African American male, a man of Pacific Island decent and one white male with dark hair. They were all tall and physically fit. Her muscles ready to jump into action, she took a step forwad. The doors fell shut behind her, loud enough for everyone’s attention to fall on her.

“Who is this?” asked the Pacific Islander. His voice was booming echoing in the walls. He was tall, at least 6’5’’, and built like a tank. His hair was long and dark, but he was engulfed in a silverish light as if he was reflecting moonlight, even though he was inside. There was an eerie resemblence to Maui from that movie _Moana_ that she had promised Trixie to watch in theaters.

The black man smiled. He was slimmer, also well-trained and about two inches shorter. Next to them, the white man looked positively tame, around 5’8’’ and with greyish coloring in the otherwise dark hair.

“You must be Chloe Decker,” smiled the black man kindly. “Please, we mean you know harm. You may holster your gun.”

Horrified, Father Kinley gasped, “Chloe, put it away now.”

She did, but she remained vary, “Who are you?

“I am Gabriel,” boomed the Pacific Islander. “But I am also known as Metatron, Heaven’s Scribe and Messenger of God.” His voice was loud, like it was not meant to be heard inside of closed walls but rather on a large field or in a stadium. It almost distracted her from hearing what he actually said.

“You are an angel?” she choked, feeling her heart pound against her chest. The nuns had said it before, but only now did Chloe actually begin to believe it.

“I am Gabriel the Archangel,” proclaimed the angel. If the word ‘proclaim’ could ever be used for anything, it was the way the angel stated his name. “These are my brothers, the Archangel of Time, Amenadiel,” he pointed to the black man to his left, “and the Archangel of Patterns, Uriel,” he continued pointing to the white man. “And I am here to bring you good news for you were chosen, Chloe Decker.” He was so loud, his voice echoed painfully in the chapel. “God has not spoken,” continued Gabriel sadly, “he has not spoken in a long time,” this part was said quietly and it still rang in Chloe’s ears, “but,” he continued smiling broadly, “he asked Amenadiel to bless your parents so that you could live. The Holy Father knows all: past, present and future, what was, what is, what could be and what will be. He sent an archangel to bless your parents so that you could be. Amenadiel has been tasked to bring our unfortunate brother back to Hell. He who questioned our father; our beloved, foolish brother Lucifer.” Chloe was overwhelmed. He was not sure if it was just the otherwordly timbre of that voice, the information, or the fact he genuinely appeared to care for the _devil_. “Father asked Amenadiel to bless your parents. Thus, Father intends you to help us bring Lucifer back to Hell. The Host thanks you for your efforts.”

“I-I-,” stammered Chloe at a complete loss for words and so very scared. “I haven’t done anything yet.”

“You sought out the Order Adversus Adversarius, which has bravely stood against the devil’s dealings here on Earth,” said Uriel. His voice was quieter, but it sounded like glass or like the sound of chalk across a chalkboard just before it creaked: clear, cold and slightly inhuman. “You met our brother and knew him for what he was. Not many who were near him can say that about themselves.”

Gabriel lowered his head, “Brothers, I must say say that it grieves me that you refer to him as ‘it’ or ‘evil’. He failed only once: when he defied Father and demanded to be heard when it wasn’t his place to question God’s ways. I-“

“Thank you, Gabriel, we know,” said Amenadiel gently. “Lucifer must return to Hell or the Gates will open and darkness spill forth, and we might not be able to stop it when that happens.”

“I believe you when you say this, brother,” boomed Gabriel, sounding troubled. “I do, you have walked the Gates and I have not ventured there, but I do not like it when you call our poor, misguided brother ‘evil’. Oh, how far he has Fallen!” It was an exclamation of grief. “The brightest of all angels.”

“And pride was his downfall,” concluded Uriel, his voice still this strangely clear. “We know. We won’t cause him any harm.”

That made Gabriel smile broadly and kindly; he threw his arms around the two brothers who stiffened in a remarkably human manner and then, he looked at Father Kinley and Chloe and shouted, “All the best to you. May you never falter and remain strong.”

Father Kinley lowered his head, “Thank you, Lord Gabriel, for honoring us with your presence.”

In a ray of moonlight and the sound of flapping wings, the archangel was gone. This was when Chloe felt her limbs trembling so badly that she had to sit down. She could not believe what she had just witnessed. Well, she could, she _had_ , but this was too much. This was more than she could bear. Why would God choose a human to do such a dangerous task? How could Father Kinley remain so calm? But then he had meticulously read every report, every rule, every scroll that would prepare him for meeting the angels. And she was just Chloe Decker, a homicide detective from LA, a little human with no affiliation with any of that. How could she possibly be a threat to the _devil_? She had fooled herself into thinking she could do something, but coming face to face with the Archangel Gabriel, and seeing him casually disappear, it showed her just how much she was out of her depth.

“Forgive our brother, Chloe,” said the archangel named Amenadiel. He was kneeling next to the bench where she was sitting. “Gabriel has this effect on humans. We mean you no harm and we’ll make sure that Lucifer won’t harm a hair on your head. Your daughter will be safe. We promise. Heaven’s Host will be by your side when the time comes. Will you help us?”

His voice was wonderfully human, so warm, almost sweet, so understanding. His smile was soft and serene. Chloe suddenly felt like she could breathe again. She could not speak though, so she nodded slowly instead.

Once she sufficiently clamed down, while they were discussing their plans, she had to ask, “Archangel Gabriel doesn’t think Lucifer is evil.”

Thoughtfully, Uriel and Amenadiel nodded, “Gabriel believes in in intent. He thinks Lucifer _means_ no harm and therefore, he won’t _cause_ any harm, and that might be true if this fight took place in Heaven, but here on Earth, you don’t have to mean harm to cause it.”

“So,” asked Chloe, a bit confused, “you don’t think he’s evil.”

“He wasn’t,” said Amenadiel, “once upon a time. He wasn’t born from malice and he didn’t just wake up one day and decided that he was evil. He has faced the darkest creatures imaginable, was custodian to unspeakable malice. It changed him. He’s no longer the brother I once loved, the brother I knew.”

“It’s hard to imagine,” said Chloe, “that there was evil before him.”

“Evil has always been there, Chloe,” said Amenadiel. “It will remain when the devil is long gone and secured in Hell. You are a cop. You know that. All we can do, us guardians, is try to curb it and keep it at bay.”

“Then let’s do this. Let’s go through the plan. We need to make absolutely sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Gabriel and Metatron are not the same, but Metatron is never mentioned in the show, and I feel that messenger and scribe have similarities and given that Raguel is called the angel of justice while in the show, it’s clearly Lucifer, let’s just assume that people mixed stuff up, and made two out of one.
> 
> References:  
> \- https://www.kannlawoffice.com/pc-240


	8. Sola Dosis Facit Venenum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showdown in Hohenwald

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright everyone, I think I caught up with where I wanted to be with this story and will now probably return to my weekly schedule. This is also half-way through through the plot, because the case is coming to a close. 
> 
> I will probably be writing a bit more than usual regardless because I'm on vacation, but I plan on working on "The 'The Devil Files' Files (and other stories)", which is a compilation of one-shots and semi-official and official reports concerning the Reverence for Life Series that I cannot fit into my The Devil Files - Independent Story Format.

Lucifer was never the first person on a case. In the year he had now worked with them, Lucifer had never appeared first at a precinct or a crime scene. He would be with them or arrive later, but he was never the first person. Seeing Lucifer sitting in the room that had been provided for the team when he arrived, told Aaron that something was up.

“Is everything okay?”

“They found the sixth victim early this morning, didn’t they?” asked Lucifer, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion. He looked at the wall in front of him, nothing bothering to turn his head to look at Aaron.

“Yes,” said Aaron. “Lucifer, what’s wrong?”

The devil’s expression was one of fury and profound disappointment. His posture was stiff and almost motionless.

“It depends on whom you ask,” was the reply. “If you ask my siblings, it’s the fact that I’m here on Earth, but if you ask me, then it’s the fact that they’ve decided to conspire against me including…” He stopped, but Aaron had noticed that telling hint of a hitch in Lucifer’s throat.

Aaron quickly walked to the door, saw the rest of the team approach and said quietly to Lucifer that he would be right back.

“Morgan, Emily, please go to the crime scene. Reid, David, I want you with the ME. Just see if the external injuries are similar. We have no time for the report. JJ, please have Garcia pull up a list of names of people in the area known to have access to snake venom and/or have experience with snakes. Then call Mr. Miller. We’ll need a list of people that applied to become a member of his church, but were rejected.”

JJ nodded and pulled her phone out. Emily asked, “What about Lucifer?”

“He’s in the office. He has received some troubling information last night.

“Is he alright?” asked Reid.

“Not really. His siblings appear to be conspiring against him,” answered Aaron.

“Aren’t they always? Apart from Azrael, Raphael and Muriel, I mean,” said Dave.

“I don’t know. He’s upset.” Morgan was on his way to the door, but Aaron called him back, “I’m taking care of this. Let’s bring this case to a close.”

“But-“ Morgan pointed at the door. “We-“

“You can pray when you have a moment,” said Aaron, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

Reluctantly, they left, all worried about their consultant. Aaron walked back into that office and saw that Lucifer was standing and apparently ready to go.

“Please, sit down,” said the profiler softly.

“We have an evil man to catch,” answered Lucifer. His face was a mask as if he had shoved all emotion into a closet, locked it and thrown away the key. Aaron had no chance of reading him. In this past year, he had gotten to know the devil, though. He knew that, right now, Lucifer was too hurt to let it show.

“And we will catch him, but first, we need to t-“

“ _Talk_!” spat Lucifer closing in on Aaron’s personal space. This was by no means the first time the devil had lost his temper, but that did not stop Aaron’s body from pumping adrenaline through his bloodstream warning him that there was a furious predator in this very room. “What is there to _talk_ about? And people think _I_ like the sound of my voice when it is angels and humans that won’t ever _shut up_. There is nothing worth saying. Azrael and Amenadiel want me back in Hell,” continued Lucifer hoarsely. “Not surprising as far as my brother is concerned, but Az-“ Shakily, he stopped, raw emotion now visible in these eyes. “Why am I even shocked? Dad says ‘jump’, my siblings say ‘how high’. Always.”

“Wait, your father?” asked Aaron, now worried. It was one thing if Lucifer’s siblings wanted him back, but if He was involved, it was only a matter of time until Lucifer was returned to Hell, voluntarily or not.

Lucfier chuckled, but it was not a joyous sound.

“Dad hasn’t said a word, Agent Hotchner. That hasn’t stopped them so far. Dad hasn’t personally said a word in a long time.”

“How do you know that?” He was aware that this was a cruel question, but he had to know. Lucifer was a member of his team and devil or not, Aaron wanted to take care of the problem.

A shaky sigh was the response, “I guess I cannot. Once upon I time, I always knew when Dad spoke, second only to Gabriel. Dad had the chance, though. On Liberty Ranch in Colorado or on that plane back to DC, didn’t he? His damnation of me came swiftly and ruthlessly, but there were still millions of years of tension and fighting before he… I would expect him to let his dissatisfaction know first. He never hesitated to do so in the past.”

Aaron decided to ask the question he had not dared before, “What did he say at Liberty Ranch?” He remembered Derek’s report – or rather the inofficial oral reports that concerned all things divine and were usually shared in Astra or in Aaron’s office. There had been a voice by that altar, directly speaking to Lucifer. How could Lucifer claim not to have heard his father speak when he clearly had so recently?

“That was just an echo. A pre-recorded message, so to speak. Dad’s omniscient, but he’s… not really around at the moment, at least not in a way that his children would be able to pick up.”

“But he was there, wasn’t he, when we were on the plane?” He remembered Lucifer addressing his father about being flashy only to counter with an even fancier spectacle.

Lucifer’s lips twitched, “I’m not saying he cannot affect things or that he doesn’t hear us, I’m saying that he’s not here and that he doesn’t talk to us.”

Aaron did his best to remain neutral. His relationship with God was complicated, but, unlike Morgan, he had never lost faith. Meeting Lucifer had been devastating in that regard as it made him realize that a being he had thought to be infallible had in fact abused his own child without mercy and scarred him beyond recognition, mentally and physically. It was painful because, if God himself was a bad father, how could Aaron ever hope to be? Ironically, it was childless Lucifer who always spoke kindly of his parental abilities and he trusted the devil to always be honest. Regardless, it was frightening and painful to know that apparently, to a point, God was no longer part of the picture, did not even communicate with his own children.

“Apologies, Agent Hotchner,” said Lucifer. “It seems like I keep disappointing you.”

Undoubtedly, he was thinking of last night’s discussion about Elle.

“None of these events were influenced by you in any way. Elle made her choices, and your father… You cannot take responsibility for other people’s actions. I refuse to accept you as a scapegoat,” countered Aaron. “Tell me what you know.”

And he did.

Dromos had come to Earth to warn Lucifer about a conspiracy instigated by Amenadiel and supported by Azrael to get Lucifer back to Hell else Lucifer will be forced there without the option to leave.

“But then, all they would have to do is wait,” said Aaron, confused.

“Ha!” exclaimed Lucifer, “thank you, yes, that is true. Amenadiel doesn’t give a damn – pun intended – whether or not I can leave Hell again, but he is tired of patrolling the Gates, wishes to have me back as soon as possible and I assume _he roped my sister into this farce_.” This last sentence was said loudly and sharply.

“Lucifer?”

“Death is everywhere and I want her to know that I know,” hissed Lucifer. “If she tells Amenadiel, I’ll know where she stands. No second chances, no tearful ‘I’m doing this for your own good,’ no forgiveness. I don’t care if it’s cruel, I don’t care if I put her between a rock and a hard place. She either lets Amenadiel know that I’m aware of what they have planned or she stays out of this.”

“I understand.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me to be nicer? Merciful?” Lucifer’s eyes were wide and very dark; he was gritting his teeth.

“Your siblings are conspiring against you to drag you to a place you don’t want to be and they possibly plan on locking you up indefinitely without you having done anything that would warrant such action. If they were human, I would make sure they were prosecuted for a crime,” was Aaron’s firm reply. That answer seemed to amuse Lucifer because he smiled.

“What has you troubled then? If you already decided how to proceed.”

“How do I ask Raphael? I don’t want to accuse him of betrayal, but… The first time around, my fight was primarily with Amenadiel and Michael who were using the little ones as literal shields knowing I’d never sincerely hurt them. The archangels are all much older now, so were they involved or not? Is Michael? Is this all Amenadiel’s doing? Who’s involved, I… don’t actually want to know, but I need to, because I’m not going back to Hell.”

There was determination in every word he spoke and Aaron hoped that however Amenadiel would go about it, his friend would come out of it unscathed, preferably without any humans getting caught in the inevitable crossfire.

“Can Raphael lie when you communicate with him via prayer?

“Not really. It causes a distortion that I can usually hear.”

“Then ask him outright,” said Aaron and decided to focus on what he thought was a more pressing problem. “When you say death is everywhere, and I presume you refer to Earth alone, this means that Azrael hears everything in every corner of the planet. Whenver you plan your strategy, she’ll know.”

“That’s not how it works,” said Lucifer. “That would be Dad-level of Earth-bound omniscience. She’s very busy and rarely has time to listen in; she barely ever listens in. However, I cannot always tell when she’s near, so your warning is a good one, especially if Amenadiel decides on using that to his advantage. I’ll keep it in mind.” Thoughtfully, he looked at Aaron. “What do I ask him?” He sounded lost. “Raphael has been… but then if he believes Amenadiel and thinks Dad told him to-I don’t want to know.” Lucifer looked quite desperate. “The first time around, they all chose Dad. My ‘rebellion’ was me against Dad. A verbal fight that led to blows between the three oldest angels present, but I was the one getting them, not… Raphael’s been more and more outspoken about Dad and…” Desperately, Lucifer looked at Aaron as if he had all the answers and Aaron swallowed dryly. He knew he had the devil’s ear, but to realize that Lucifer was asking him for advice about how to deal with Heaven’s Host was paralyzing. “Either Raphael will be right there beside me and risks being treated as I was years ago, or he’ll work with Amenadiel in getting me back to Hell. And I’m not sure I want to know which one it’ll be.”

He did not want to know, but it was clear that he needed to know.

This was not good. Lucifer had been relying on Raphael to ground him lately. Aaron prayed – and instantly caught himself – that Raphael was on Lucifer’s side this time around, even though the potential consequences for the healer were devastating.

“Talk to him,” said Aaron. “We’ll be waiting for you outside. We’re there for you.”

Lucifer scoffed, “You should stay out of this. This isn’t for mortals.”

He was probably right, but still, he had to bring his point across, “I didn’t mean we would go against the Host. I’ll leave that up to you. I just want to let you know that we support you.”

Lucifer just nodded, only half-believing that Aaron was saying the truth, and Aaron could not blame him. If Azrael truly went behind Lucifer’s back to work with Amenadiel – whether it was to help him, or not – a sibling he loved and had known since she was born and had now reconnected after trillions of years in Hell, then nothing a few humans said would truly convince him of their sincerity. All they could do was stay true to their word. He left the room telling Lucifer to take his time.

“Garcia is compiling the list,” said JJ once she saw he had left the office, “and Mr. Miller told me that they haven’t had any applications for membership in over three years, but he would get his records from the entire congregation, not just the Hohenwald branch.”

“Perfect, thank you, JJ. Have you heard from the others?”

“The victim’s name is Jacob Rivers. He’s not from Hohenwald itself, but is known in town, because he’s a man of wealth-“

“Let me guess, known to be highly charitable,” sighed Aaron. They were on the right track; they had simply been slow on the uptake. “As soon as the others are done with the job, we’ll release the profile. I think we’re ready. We have to act fast, too. This UnSub is organized and the latest body should have shown up yesterday. We must assume that the next victim is in immediate danger.”

JJ nodded and walked away, her phone ready. In turn, Aaron called Garcia.

_“FBI’s Fountain of Knowledge. If you’re thirsty, take a sip.”_

Aaron’s lips twitched just a bit, “Garcia, what can you tell me about snake venoms?”

_“Compiling a list of every person allowed to keep snakes, handle them, milk them –I really hope it’s not what it sounds like – and sell them, but you’d be surprised how many snake enthusiasts live in the area. Pastor Graham and his church alone have several people allowed to handle snakes. Also, there are several veterinary clinics with similar permits.”_

“That’s okay. We’ll be able to cross-reference with a list of people of rejected applicants from the Satanic church, which we’ll receive soon.”

_“Great, list of would-be Satanists coming up soon.”_

“Meanwhile, please widen the search of people with snake-handling permits to all neighboring towns including Nashville and Murfreesboro.”

_“Done and done, sir, I’ll call you back. Knowledge Fountain is splashing out. Ciao!””_

With that, she hung up. Aaron shook his head, as always amused with the technical analyst’s antics then took his time to update the police department on their progress. Chief Mayfield seemed very relieved. The death of Mr. Rivers had clearly shaken him and the pressure to get quick results was rising. Lucifer joined them not too long after.

“And?” asked Aaron. As important as it was to bring this case to a close without further loss of life, Lucifer’s peace of mind was just as if not more important.

“He knew nothing,” said Lucifer. “In fact, he sounded very irrate with Amenadiel roping Azrael into his schemes.”

They had only ever met Raphael as Lucifer’s younger brother. Of course, he would be protective of his little sister.

“What did you tell him?”

“I made him promise to stay low and focus on his tasks, but… I remember the tension. It’s not something you forget, and right now, I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“Do you want to go back?” asked Aaron. “To DC, I mean. Get ready.”

“I have a domain to keep, and no angel would ever dare stopping me from bestowing punishment,” was the cold reply. He was still keeping his emotions under very tight control. “What do you have?”

While Aaron updated Lucifer on the progress, Thomas Coleman arrived to bring the list on Mr. Miller’s behalf. At first, Aaron thought this was a susiciously quick response time, but then he remembered just how close Mr. Coleman lived to the police station, which explained why Mr. Miller had asked Coleman to bring the list personally. Mr. Miller was a man that desired control and he probably did not want to send a list of names to a governmental email address. Still, it did not help Lucifer’s suspicion and distrust of Coleman, or his own, if he was honest. He was too young, but that was about it.

“Thank you, Mr. Coleman,” said Aaron.

“Anyt-“ He interrupted himself and stared at Lucifer mutely. “I-“

Lucifer just rolled his eyes, “Nothing to see, Mr. Coleman.”

Mr. Coleman in turn shook his head as if he tried to rid himself off some sort of dream. “Sorry,” said he. After he left, Aaron looked at Lucifer.

“I don’t need a dark soul to worship me,” was all he said.

“I don’t understand,” confessed Aaron.

“I burned the card I used to go incognito, was distracted last night with Dromos’ call and did not reactivate it. He’s genuinely faithful and was about two steps away from seeing me.”

“And you don’t want that because…”

“I’ve never wanted anyone to worship me. Least of a soul that might as well end up in Hell,” was the firm response. Before they could go into more detail, the rest of the team returned and they got ready for the profile but not before Morgan made sure Garcia got her hands on the desired list.

“Our UnSub is highly organized, 30-50 years old and given his choice of victims, most likely male because he managed to overpower a veteran without the use of a blitz attack or the use of tranquilizers,” began Aaron.

“We came here with the assumption that we are dealing with a special type of poisoner,” continued David. “There are four types of which two could be excluded from the start: The Extortionist and the Prankster. However, given that there were insufficient connections between the six victims, it is unlikely that this UnSub has a personal vendetta. If he were to target the whole town, his choice of weapon would be illogical and logical thinking and meticulous planning is a signature of this UnSub. This leaves us with the True Believer, a political terrorist or religious cult. While we have evidence for these murders being religiously motivated, this is not a classical True Believer.”

“Instead, we’re dealing with a religiously motivated serial killer who uses snake poison as satanic symbolism to kill victims that represent a specific virtue,” concluded Derek. “That is not to say that we’re dealing with an actual Satanist. This is what we call an adaptive Satanist. There has been a recent case in Florida of an adaptive Satanist whose beliefs were shaped by his cannibalistic urges. I believe this case made national news last year.”

Floyd Feylinn Ferell: a deeply disturbed individual. He was a case where Aaron was tempted to smuggle Lucifer into prison so that the devil could punish the man while he was still alive. He had found that the poetic justice dealt by Lucifer was much more satisfying than what their laws permitted. He firmly suppressed these thoughts, however. He had made a vow to uphold the laws of the United States of America, and torturing Unsubs was not rally an option.

“There are very obvious differences between this current UnSub and the individual from Florida,” said Reid. “In Florida, there were no forensic counter-measures and the individual was devious but probably possessed a below average or average intellect. This UnSub here works meticulously, is probably highly intelligent and methodical. We don’t know what he plans on doing once his collection is complete, which is why it is vital that we catch him beforehand. Currently, we are one captial virtue short of that: prudence.”

“We must therefore work from two sides: one, we try to identify the possible victims and protect them, and two, we try to catch the killer,” said Aaron. “We have complied a list of people with access to snake poison and medical equipment and a list of people that were rejected from the Satanic church. We are currently cross-referencing that to find a match, but please check the criminal history for all of them. On the other hand, we need to narrow down the list of possible victims. This is your town. When you hear prudence, which name would you think of first?”

He had briefly discussed the idea with the others. It was far from how they usually operated, but they were running out of time and the men and women working with them were the local police. This was a small town. They knew things that Garcia could not dig up.

“Chief Mayfield,” said one of the officers causing a few others to chuckle.

“Father Gilbert,” said another. “He’s the head of my church.” He added as an explanation.

“How does the bible even define prudence?” asked a third.

“There is no clear definition,” explained Reid, “but it can be broadly summarized as _‘careful, wise discernment; the avoidance of rash behaviour or speech; the good management of talents and resources and the showing of tact and wisdom in relationships with other people’_.“

“So Pastor Graham’s out,” muttered one of them.

The pattern showed quickly, though. They were all thinking of authority figures, either political or religious. Ultimately, they decided to put the mayor, Chief Mayfield and the religious leaders under police protection while the team tried to figure out who the UnSub could be.

With the help of the list that Coleman had given them.

The hair on the back of Aaron’s hair stood up. This was the second time for Coleman to insert himself into an investigation. This together with the fact that Lucifer did not trust him really did not speak well for the theist Satanist. His background had come up clear, he had no permit to handle snakes, but he partially fit the profile and some of his actions were suspicious. There was nothing Aaron could do about that, however, apart from keeping an eye on him.

They all settled in the office. Unsurprisingly, by the time they had sat down, the team had already drilled Lucifer regarding what was going on.

“Are you in danger?” asked JJ, alarmed.

“Not at the moment and definitely no more than whatever prudent soul this particular sinner is after,” said Lucifer, effortlessly bringing the team back to the case with his final tone of voice.

Morgan’s phone rang; the profiler accepted the call and absentmindly put it on speaker. “Give it to me, Babygirl.”

_“I like assertive men, my delicious James Bond,”_ said Garcia.

“I object!” called out Lucifer. “While I am sorely tempted to do unspeakable things in order to have delicious Idris Elba as the next James Bond, me being the only person in the room with a passable English accent should be referred to as such, not our Chicago-born adonis.”

_“I’m open for a threesome,”_ was the reply.

“People, focus,” said Aaron, but enjoying taking team antics with a grain of salt and a peppershaker of amusement. Really, he dreaded the day HR got an inkling of how his team communicated. They would all end up in a sexual harassment seminar. “Garcia, have you found a common name?”

_“Yes, five of them, in fact. Three if we exclude people with no obvious connection to Hohenwald, sir.”_

“That’s good. What can you tell us about them?”

_“That they may as well be the same person,”_ said Garcia. “ _Really! They all have troubled childhoods with bouts of violence, with juvenile records mostly for petty crimes, which stopped by the time they were in their mid-twenties. They’re all in their mid- to late thirties now and either work as medical professionals or teachers. They all applied for the Satanic church sometime between last year and 2008. According to the records in the Satanic congregation – and who knew they would be this neat with their records – they were all rejected because they did not ‘follow the ethics code established by the Satanic’ church or their own profession. I guess that translates into them being uncaring given their jobs.”_

It was something, but perhaps they could narrow it down to one name.

“Is there any connection between any of them and our victims?” asked Emily.

_“One moment, crime fighters, I’m checking, I’m-the price goes to Emily Prentiss-we have only one name left: Thomas Moloug-Molo-something, I’m sending you his information.”_

All their phones dinged and Lucifer casually mentioned that the name ‘Moloughney’ was Irish and ironically came from the Gaelic sept name O’Maoldhomhnaigh, meaning ‘servant of the Church of Ireland’ or ‘servant of God’. Thomas Moloughney was a nurse at the local hospital, currently specialized in long-term care nursing, but he had long worked at an ER in Nashville where he also applied to enter the Satanic church, but was rejected. The switch in specialty had only happened recently with the mother falling severely ill and being treated at a care facility. He had barely finished their training when the mother died. Nurse Lane had been in charge of her care. Jacob Rivers had been a benefactor of the hospital. There was no direct connection to the rest apart from meeting them on a superficial level.

“So, his last victims are his ultimate goal. He used the seven virtues as a guide and placing the personal connections last was probably a forensic countermeasure,” said David. “So, Garcia, I’m sending you a list of people that we’ve decided to put under police protection. Cross-reference it with your current list.”

There was a moment of silence while Garcia worked her magic.

_“Marianne Davis,”_ breathed Garcia. _“Oh no. Oh no, this isn’t good.”_

“What is it?”

_“Molougney and Davis went to school together. Marianne Davis is three years younger and he kind-he was a creep. When she refused to date him, he lashed out calling her a seductive snake, and as an act of revenge for the rejection, he put a snake in her locker.”_ Garcia’s voice got quieter and shakier as she spoke, shuddering in sympathy.

“Okay, so we got a stressor – mother falling ill causing a change in his professional life – a trigger – the death of the mother – and a motif to harm High Priestess Davis,” concluded Morgan. “Let’s go to her.”

They approached Chief Mayfield to get a name of the officers who was put in charge of Priestess Davis and a location.

“One of our first patrols were sent there because we thought she was one of the most likely person to be involved in this,” said Chief Mayfield, obviously proud to have thought ahead. “She was not in her home,” he continued regretfully, “apparently, she always does her morning meditation in that clearing your were last night. Do you need backup?”

“No, if we miss her, it’s vital for your men to pick her up and to make sure she’s in custody as soon as possible. Place your men at her work place, her home. Keep a look-out for this man,” said Aaron quickly as he handed over the tablet with the information on their UnSub, while he watched Lucifer walking away briskly and the rest of the team following behind with the exception of JJ, “Agent Jareau will give you more information.”

“-not be there,” he heard Emily say.

“I’m not after High Priestess Davis, I’m after Hulda,” said Lucifer sharply. “If that idiot goes after a protected soul like Ms. Davis, the last thing this town has to fear is a serial killer because there will be one irate faerie to deal with.”

“Prentiss and I are going with you,” said Aaron. He sent the rest of the team to Moloughney’s work place, to his home (with backup from the police) and to places associates with Ms. Davis. Lights flashing, they tried to reach the clearing in time.

They were almost too late it turned out. When they exited the car, they heard a scream causing them to draw their weapons and run.

It had not been a women’s voice.

In the clearing, the ashes of last night’s fire visible, a man was being pursued by about two dozen rattlesnakes that appeared to be approaching from all sides.

The high priestess was on the other side of the clearing near what Lucifer had earlier called an ‘irate faerie.’ Hulda’s already strange complexion was enhanced in the shade of the clearing. Her otherworldly hair now had a greenish tinge to it as if toxic algae had invaded her.

“Stop,” said Lucifer lazily, and the snakes turned to face him. “Round him up.” Seconds later, Moloughney was surrounded by snakes. “Your choice, Mr. Moloughney. Face her judgement or mine.”

Terrified, he looked from the hissing faerie to eerily calm, cruelly smiling Lucifer.

“Come on, I don’t have all day,” said Lucifer.

“Yours,” breathed Mologhney.

“Not a complete idiot then,” said Lucifer.

Hulda screamed, her voice high and piercing, full of anger and she _moved_. Lucifer flicked with his hand and a card fell on the ground. Flames shot up high into the air in the forming a pentagram, Moloughney trapped in the middle with the snakes slithering very close causing him to shriek, Hulda in the space left by one of the points, and what Aaron could only assume was the point representing spirit pointed directly at Lucifer. Emily went to the high priestess and pulled her back away from the fire. There was another card in Lucifer’s hand.

“I am Lucifer Morningstar.” There went that alias. Again. “Don’t think you’re free of my judgment.” He looked at Hulda.

Hulda hissed but did not dare move, and Lucifer smiled, but then he turned his attention to Moloughney. He appared to create a small tunnel for the snakes to slither out of, and Aaron would lie if having two dozen snakes slithering to his side and awaiting further orders was not one of the most nervewrecking experiences in his entire life.

Lucifer’s full focus was on the terrified UnSub, “I hear you worship the devil.”

“I do,” shouted Mologhney as he tried to evade the tendrils of fire that reached out to him as if they wanted to tickle him. “I do. The devil told me to-“

_Oh boy._

Flames engulfed the UnSub with the strangely animalistic roar of a hungry predator. Mologhney screamed, but strangely he did not seem to burn. This was not a normal fire. Aaron had seen Lucifer wield that kind of fire. This was something else. Was this Hellfire? Was it not physical? They knew he used fire as a torture method in Hell. He would ask him later. Lucifer’s voice pierced through the noise like a whip, “Who do you think you are? How do you presume to know my intentions? If I wanted to destroy virtue, do you really think I need you?” Lucifer sneered. “You are as significant to me as a speck of dirt to the sun. I should let Hulda destroy you.”

Hulda smiled terrifyingly. Mologhney screeched in agony.

“Lucifer,” said Aaron softly.

“Fine!” snapped Lucifer, stepped through the fire and threw the UnSub right beneath Aaron’s feet. The snakes hissed and encircled him. The fire ceased, but Hulda did not move.

“You know,” said Lucifer casually, “I think I have the perfect place for you. It’s been unused for a while now, and Skaði might just wish to check in every millenia or so, to make sure her snake is busy.” With that, he approached Mologhney, who was on his knees shaking like a leaf, and tapped his forehead. The UnSub screamed in pain and promptly passed out.

“Lucifer?” whispered Hulda approaching the devil cautiously. “He’s free?”

“They are in Hell, and you’re not going there. I’ll make sure of it.”

“But-“

“Hell’s punishment, not a reward,” said Lucifer sharply. “If damn yourself to see him, I promise you that what you get will be exact opposite of what you hoped for.”

“Hulda.”

The voice had them all turn around. High Priestess Davis stared at them, her eyes wide and frightened.

Hulda smiled. It would have been a comforting smile if her green eyes did not hold a gleam of mischief, “I didn’t lie to you.”

“He’s… I cannot quite grasp it,” muttered the priestess. “It’s there, but,” she looked at Lucifer, and then it seemed like it all became clear. “The son of God and the Goddess,” she whispered as if recalling last night from a distance memory. “You’re the devil. You said you were the dev-” her voice broke.

“Yes,” said Lucifer.

“And you,” she looked at Emily and Aaron, “you _know_. I thought… I knew-I don’t understand.”

“Hulda’s a faerie, you knew that,” said Lucifer quietly. “I am who I am. First and foremost, I’m judgment.”

“It’s all hogwash, isn’t it? What I thought-“

“Not at all,” said Lucifer, frowning a bit, “you know more than most. You know there’s more to this world than humanity can prove at the moment.”

“How is that possible?” she breathed. “I always wondered. I knew faeries were real, but how come nobody else knows?”

“Numbers mostly,” answered Lucifer, “there are very few us left, and most who know about us either don’t talk or are considered insane. Just look at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. That’s why we mostly exist in stories these days.”

“You’re the devil,” she whispered. “Islam was the closest to being right, then. You’re not evil as the Christianity believes, but you’re not an idea like it is said in the Torah, an illusory obstacle hindering the completion of _tikkun olam_ , working only by his leave.” She paused, and Aaron was impressed. She had obviously studied Abrahamic religions at some point in her life. “Though you’ve been thought of as a force responsible for all sins in the Talmud and the Midrash. That’s not right either, is it? You resemble Iblis.”

“I assure you, my devotion to Dad is not nearly as deep,” smiled Lucifer, “but I am glad to hear you don’t believe I’m responsible for every evil committed in this world.”

She looked numbly at still unconscious Thomas Mologhney, “No,” she breathed. “No, you stop evil. What’s his punishment?”

“What do you want it to be?” asked Lucifer curiously. She looked startled at the question. “You are a High Priestess of the _Keepers of the Lake_ ,” said he causing her to scoff a bit.

“It sounds ridiculous from your lips. My beliefs must seem ridiculous to yo. Does it even matter?”

Hulda flinched visibly.

“It does, it absolutely does,” said Lucifer firmly. “Don’t you see? You don’t need to pray to us. Dad has more than enough followers and he doesn’t need them. You’re the keeper of something _precious_ , something that may soon be nothing but a tale told among humans, something that lives only in their imagination, in books and film. You know it’s real. You know Avalon is real. Be a priestess. Your world just expanded, is all. You’re not wrong with what you believed.” He paused before he said, “Let Hulda show you, but remember who she is.”

“I’ve prayed to the duality of nature for a long time,” said Ms. Davis with remarkable calm. Aaron was more than a little impressed with how she hanlded the whole situation. “I know nature has two faces and must be treated as such. You have not answered my question.”

“You didn’t answer mine. What do you want his punishment to be? He killed six people in my name, but for no other reason than his own gratification. He wished to kill you for you dared rejecting him.”

“I don’t know,” said she, but after a moment, her expression grew cold. “I want him to feel the pain he inflicted.”

“Good,” said Lucifer. “His soul won’t go to Hell, or rather, the classical part of it. It’s more of a branch the Old Gods thought I had no power over. It’s nothing but a cold hard stone and a serpent of Skaði that will be dripping venom into his eyes for… I haven’t decided yet. Depends on my mood. How does that sound?”

“Good,” she echoed Lucifer’s earlier words. “I don’t even know how to talk to you.”

“However you wish, darling,” purred Lucifer playfully.

Priestess Davis then looked from Hulda to Lucifer, “You saved my life.”

Her nod was an acknowledgment, not a thank-you, and Aaron made a mental note to echo this, should he ever deal with a faerie.

Lucifer grinned and nodded in response. He seemed very pleased with how this had gone down and then looked at the unconscious body in front of him before wordlessly pleading with Aaron who knew exactly what he wanted to say.

“You knocked him out, you carry him,” was his immediate response.

“But Agent Hotchner,” moaned Lucifer, “I can have the snakes-”

“You leave them alone,” said Aaron, half-amused, half-horrified at the idea of over twenty snakes transporting an unconscious body to their car. “Tell them to go to a place where they aren’t bothered by humans.”

Muttering under his breath, Lucifer walked toward the forest, a happily chatting Hulda by his side and two-dozen snakes trailing after them.

Priestess Davis stared at Hotch, “Did you just order around the devil?” There was a gleam in her eyes, which the profiler thought was better not to further pursue. Emily on the other hand just grinned unhelpfully.

“Not order around, just… He’s an irreplacable member of this team, and I’m the team leader. I-“

“Yes, he can totally tell Lucifer what to do,” said Emily, grinning a little bit too widely. She was obviously as fond of snakes as he was, and also felt the after-effects of a highly stressful situation. “And he’s single.”

“We’re on the job, Agent Prentiss,” he reminded her sternly, and just a bit horrified.

“Technically, we got our Unsub,” said Emily. “I’ll let the rest know.”

With that, she stepped away, as subtly as a sledgehammer, and Aaron distinctly noticed that the two supernatural beings and their pets had also kind of disappeared and he was now facing a potentially traumatized high priestess who had light brown hair, beautiful grey-brown eyes that looked at him like he was a particularly delicious meal. He was fully aware that these were simply her survival instincts going haywire and wishing to hook up with the man who had just sent away the devil was probably a very rational reaction. That did not keep him from swallowing dryly, clearing his throat and hoping that at least Prentiss would remember that victims or almost-victims of violent crimes were off-limits. He did not even pretend to assume that Lucifer bothered to remember that rule, at least not for the rest of the team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three notes regarding the chapter itself:
> 
> 1\. I’m always amazed how everybody knows how to pronounce everything in these shows. As much as Reid is a genius, he’s canonically ‘only a genius in English’, so he shouldn’t be able to pronounce every foreign word, since his study is mostly reading and not listening. Not to mention the rest of the team.
> 
> 2\. Skadir: When Loki was captured by the Asgard, Skadir was the one providing the snake that would drip its venom into his eyes. This is not really on Earth but not really Hell either, but it is a place of punishment and Lucifer claimed it after... yeah, long story, will come up later.
> 
> 3\. I have no idea what caused me to write that last paragraph with the priestess and Hotch, but I found that I wished to end this lightly, and decided that Emily has a trickster vibe to her, and the three of them just had to deal with 24 hissing snakes, a faerie, the devil and Hellfire pentagram, so don't give Emily a hard time over encouraging High Priestess Davis. Besides, the whole team thinks that Hotch needs to get laid. She's just easing him into Lucifer's future matchmaking attempts
> 
> References:  
> https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionary-of-bible-themes/5922-prudence  
> https://www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com/the-10-hardest-to-pronounce-irish-surnames/  
> https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/satan


	9. Dice Are Rolling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father Kinley meets Candy. Maze and Dromos arrive in DC and the preparations for dragging Lucifer back to Hell continue.  
> Maze also takes a trip down the memory lane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your support!
> 
> As announced, my plan is to update twice this week, then I'm back to work and won't be updating more than once a week or every two weeks depending on how much energy I have.
> 
> WARNING for this chapter:  
> \- Sodom and Gomorrah aftermath - dark themes  
> \- Maze has a slightly sadistic streak and her memories are colored accordingly  
> \- Lucifer Morningstar being the freakin' devil. Yes, it's a warning.  
> \- Depiction of violence

William had barely slept last night, too agitated from meeting the Archangels Gabriel, Uriel and Amenadiel face to face. He had blundered quite spectacularly upon the arrival of Archangel Gabriel. Having already met Amenadiel, he had briefly given his respects to the angel by bowing his head as the old diaries of his bretheren had taught him. When Archangel Uriel arrived, he had reacted in a similar manner, but the arrival of Archangel Gabriel – the messenger of God – had been an unparalleled honor in his parish causing him to fall on his knees. The archangel had not quite scolded him as in Matthew 4:9, but unlike Archangel Amenadiel, Archangel Gabriel had not reacted with indifference to William’s show of respect.

 _“You should not do that, valiant human,”_ he had boomed. “ _You need not worship us.”_

William managed to divert from his blunder by saying that he was praying to God in order to thank the Lord for hearing him and sending aid. It had satisfied Archangel Gabriel, although he was not quite sure whether he had managed to convince Uriel. There had been something about the archangel’s smile that unsettled him.

After the arrival of Chloe not five minutes later, they had then devised a plan on further procedure. Among other things, Archangel Amenadiel supported William’s initial plan to visit Candy Fletcher-Morningstar today. The angel believed that it was important to understand why she married the Adversary and why the devil had married her in turn. However, he also stressed out that only William should go. It was vital that Lucifer would not hear about Amenadiel’s or Chloe’s involvment.

He still did not quite understand the logic behind the archangel’s need to hear about the devil’s concubine. After all, while he understood the idea of saving her, this did not appear to be the motivation behind Archangel Amenadiel’s support of William’s original plan.

_“Ask her why she married him and how come he married her. He’s never shown interest in ‘shackling himself’ in a bond of marriage, and it seems quite strange to me. I need to know why he did that.”_

_“Perhaps,_ ” William had suggested, _“he thinks that matrimony might keep him here on Earth.”_

 _“It doesn’t,”_ was all the archangel had said, rocking on one of the pillars of his faith. William had always thought that… He had not dared questioning the archangel. Later, he had concluded that the devil was so unholy that a marriage bond held no weight.

 _“He said that he got married because that’s what you do in Vegas_ ,” Chloe had said.

Archangel Amenadiel had scoffed and said, _“That sounds like him, but that doesn’t take away the fact that we need to know.”_

 _“Also,”_ Chloe had added, _“he has sexual relations with other people, so I’m not sure if ‘shackling himself’ is the right terminology to use.”_

The angel had not responded instantly only to follow up with, _“It is still widely out of character and must be explored.”_

So, here he was, standing in front of _Fletcher’s_ , the club owned by Candy Fletcher-Morningstar.

“Can I help you, Father?” said one of the bouncers in a friendly manner.

“Yes, I’m looking for Candy Fletcher-Morningstar,” answered William. “I would like to talk to her. My name is Father William Kinley.”

“Wait here,” said the man, disappeared inside of the club and returned five minutes later. “Follow me please.”

Whatever he had expected, Candy Fletcher-Morningstar was not it.

“Hi,” said she, jumping up from a chair in her small office that looked too big for her. The woman herself was short, blond-haired with pink tips, quite beautiful and her smile was disarming. She approached him and giddily clapped her hands as if she remembered not to hug him at the last possible moment. “Father Kinley, what can I do for you?”

She smiled, her eyes warm but also vacant as if no intelligent thought had passed her mind in the last decade. After working with Chloe Decker, a down-to-earth woman hardened by a difficult job, it was almost grating to meet with someone that naïve.

She was also loud and overtly enthusaistic.

“Mrs.-“ he did not even want to let the name cross his lips.

“-Fletcher-Morningstar,” said she with a broad smile, showing her ring. “You heard about it! That’s wonderful! I suggested to my hubby that we should get married in a real church, you know, like a cathedral or so, but he refused.”

“Mrs. Fletcher-Morningstar,” he began, “I’m here because of your husband.”

“Are you a friend of my devilishly handsome, sexually prone Lucifer? You wouldn’t believe the orgasms he has given me,” she smiled, but then her face grew serious. “Oh, I’m sorry, Father Kinley. This was widely inappropriate.”

Something about her innocence was deeply disconcerting, and William decided to get straight to the point, “Your husband is not what you think he is. He’s a monster.”

Her eyes widened at the suggestion, but she immediately shook her head, “No, he’s a total sweetheart.”

Having been prepared for denial, he showed her a collection of the most recent reports on the devil: his appearances in Nazi Germany and during the Chicago fire. The Adversary had been very careful not to leave much evidence behind during his current stay on Earth, leading Father Kinley to believe that he was planning something big. Candy Fletcher-Morningstar started to cry, “No, no, no, that can’t be…” It took him several minutes to calm her down.

“What do I do?” she asked, looking at him with an expression that was both lost and trusting.

“You don’t have to do anything,” said he, impressed with her bravery. “For your own safety, it is best if you don’t tell him. The devil will soon be expelled from this world, and I want to save your soul. When the time comes and he’s defeated, I will return here and we will perform all the necessary rites to purge you.”

“Thank you, thank you,” said she, quite distressed. “You’re too kind. But how will you be able to stop him? He’s the _devil_ ,” said she whispering the last words.

“I’m not alone,” he calmed her down instantly, patting her hand. “I am part of an order that has spent centuries standing between Hell and Earth. And we have God’s support.” As per the archangel’s request, he would not talk about last night’s visit, but he needed to comfort this lost soul in front of him.

“Oh, I’m glad to hear that,” she muttered.

She was too distressed and shocked for him to ask the questions Lord Amenadiel wanted answered. Once the devil was expelled, he would return and make sure her soul would go to Heaven. Then, he would inquire why she married him in the first place and the reasons he married her (or at least the false premises he had set to make it possible). He spent an hour with her until she was calmer. She was quite a lovely person, very hospitable and sweet. She was not virtuous, some of the things she had said made him blush, but their was an innocence to her that, at least in Father Kinley’s opinion, could explain the devil’s interest: a simple-minded vessel that could easily be manipulated. It was quite tragic really; he felt sympathy for the woman who had thrown away her own future to bed the devil.

When he left her club, he called Chloe to confirm their suspicions that Candy Fletcher-Morningstar was just an innocent bystander unaware of the devil’s true nature. That left them with the members of the FBI whom they would have to avoid at all cost, the members of _Saint Mary’s Chapel_ and the devil’s many concubines.

* * *

Candy’s smile left her face the moment the door closed. She called Janet, her manager, to tell her that she would got to DC for a while, and then speed-dialled Lucifer.

“What Catholic Order with the initials AA has a grudge against you?” she asked, remembering the seal Father Kinley had carried on his robe.

 _“Almost all of them dislike me,”_ she heard her husband’s calm voice, “ _but especially annoying is_ _Adversus Adversarius. They’ve been stalking my dealings on Earth for centuries. Unfortunately, they never did anything to anyone that would allow me to punish them. They usually come after me directly.”_

“His name’s Father William Kinley and given your text from this morning, I’d say he’s been fraternizing with your brothers.”

That caused Lucifer to giggle, _“Oh, congratulation on that pun.”_

“It wasn’t that funny,” grinned Candy fondly.

 _“Anything that ridicules Heaven is funny, dear,”_ was the reply.

“Not even Sara would call it funny.”

Her best friend from high school had always loved anything vaguely related to linguistic humor, but she was particularly fond of the epigrammatic style. Candy still needed to sit the drama teacher down and let her know that not only was Candy’s husband very well versed with epigrammatic humor, he knew one of its most famous proponents _inside out_ (now that was a funny if a bit risque pun, but she got married to the devil for a reason).

 _“I’m just happy to hear you joking,”_ was the quiet reply. _“It tells me that Father Kinley hasn’t hurt you.”_

“You know him?” asked Candy.

 _“Why would I?”_ was the dismissive reply. _“It must be the current head of the order or his righthand man. They are quite forgettable, I think. All the same: all work and no play. Still, he was no threat to you, was he?”_

There was something comforting about hearing the momentary tension in Lucifer’s voice. It was clear he knew these men were not threat to him but could be one to her.

“Not at all, he wants to _save_ me,” said she ironically. “Whether they’re a threat to you or not, I’m coming to DC.”

There was a pause on the other end before he said, _“That might be best. Catch up with Mazikeen, will you? While I don’t think the order as a whole is a threat to humans, individual members might be if they’re delusional enough. But…”_ He hesitated. Lucifer only ever hesitated when it concerned his family. _“Promise me to remove yourself from the line of fire when I ask you to.”_

“Right,” said Candy sarcastically. “I’m going to be stupid enough to stand between Heaven’s Host and Hell’s finest. Seriously, how moronic do you think I am?”

Lucifer chuckled at that, _“I find you to be brilliant and highly sensible, forgive me if my words gave another impression. Things happen quickly around my brother, though, and that is why I’m worried.”_

Candy knew she could not have married a better guy, but when he said stuff like that, she melted like one of these stupid damsels in idiotic rom-coms. Damn that British accent and the honey-warm tone it was spoken with.

“I’ll catch up with Maze and won’t leave her sight until you arrive,” she said.

_“Good, and please be nice to Dromos. He’s been a bit delicate since coming to Earth and needs a sympathetic ear. That’s not Maze’ domain.”_

“He came all the way to help you despite knowing that he was breaking your own rules,” said Candy softly. “Of course I’ll be nice to him. Why would he care, though?”

* * *

“We have a queen?” asked Dromos disbelievingly and excitedly.

Maze rolled her eyes. Of course, he would jump on that idea, so she added briskly, “Lucifer’s view on adopting children hasn’t changed.”

Dromos the Feared, Steward and Second Head Torturer of Hell pouted. Really, she should take a picture and show it to the souls he personally attended to; if she did it right, this would terrify them more than anything else. They deserved it anyway.

“What is she like?” he asked.

“Human, therefore too soft and breakable,” scoffed Maze, but she followed up with, “formidable, great sense of humor, not a pushover, as cynically sweet as Lucifer. Match made in… well,” she scoffed again.

“A good one then?” asked Dromos.

Maze did not say anything, which was as good as confirmation.

“Still mortal, though,” she sighed. “He’s been around too many damn mortals lately.”

So had Maze, thought she, absentmindedly rubbing the bump on the back of her head left by Dromos showing her just how much she had let herself go in Lucifer’s absence. Of course she was training, but Lucifer frowned upon her breaking humans and he was not around, so… Naturally, she still would have pounded Dromos if Lucifer had not made him Steward of Hell. It had given him the edge, but still, it was grating to know he had beaten her for the first time ever.

Dromos had not liked the idea of traveling by plane again, but had been rather amazed to breeze through everything with Maze by his side. He was now sitting in the plane, fully relaxed and happy, while Maze felt naked without her blades, which she had been forced to check in despite Police Chief Monroe’s permit ( _“Maze, I love your commitment, and while I can get you permit to take your weapons with you when are on assignment, or need to go to DC, there is no way TSA will admit your knives in your hand-luggage”_ ). However, she was not entirely unarmed, thankfully. Near her ankle was a very sharp bone she had been using for protection for many centuries. Not the same bone of course, but the tradition had started around 3700 Earth years ago.

_Looking back, Maze would have done things differently._

_Probably._

_Possibly._

_Maybe._

_It was just that, no matter how much Lucifer hated the events unfolding in Sodom and Gomorrah, there was no point in denying just how frighteningly beautiful the angel was when it came to being God’s Wrath._

_Personally, Maze thought Justice had been dealt that night. These four cities deserved to burn for its habitants raping and murdering visitors and their own citizens alike. At Lucifer’s behest, she had removed the innocents, the few uninvolved women and children that had not already fled the cities; still, many had joined the mob to hurt two of Heaven’s Host and God had spoken his death sentence._

_Lucifer’s Punishment had come swiftly and without mercy willingly becoming God’s Sword in exchange for the right to visit Earth and/or travel via World Tree wherever and whenever he wished._

_His father had granted said wish: 100 days every ten Earth years for never more than ten consecutive days per year. It was not much, especially considering how many years this accumulated to in Hell, but Lucifer had accepted it._

Maze watched Dromos looking out of the window with interest. Lucifer had managed these ‘vacation days’ with the utmost care, using every second he had available (and beyond leading to Amenadiel hauling him back more often than not). Back then, she had thought these rules unnecessarily cruel and she had hated God for it. These days, seeing Lucifer on ‘permanent vacation,’ she understood the reasons behind them: give Lucifer more than ten days with humans or any creature, really, and he formed meaningful relationships with them, and because they were mortal, that would cause him more pain than relief from his Hellish prison.

God was still a dick, though, for not explaining, and for leaving Lucifer alone while he mourned the humans with whom he had formed bonds despite the brevity of time he spent with them. Yeah, God was a dick. And not the kind of dick she would like to ride.

Maze readjusted her weapon, which she had inadvertently moved a bit while thinking about why she carried a bone with her in the first place.

_Lucifer’s eyes were still burning with Hellfire and the smell of sulphur was biting. He stepped across the smoldering ashes barefoot, his clothing darker than hers or that of the corpses’ as if he hoped for the rising sun to provide him with a little bit more light. His voice was hoarse, almost burned out from the roaring he had used to destroy the cities._

_As he approached the two angels, Lucifer’s burning wrath was slowly subsiding, but before he could do or say anything to them, two figures appeared before Lucifer. She did not know them, but she knew they were angels, too._

_“Michael, Amenadiel, what an honor,” sneered Lucifer. “Here to put a sword in my back?”_

_“Go away, Satan,” said Michael._

_“I’ve only done as God commanded,” hissed the devil as skin melted away leaving red and black scars. Maze could see the horror in the two archangels’ eyes, but they were as immovable as two mountains, and their expression hardened within moments._

_“So you say,” said Michael._

_“You can ask the babies,” said Lucifer pointing at the two angels huddling together, possibly from the ordeal or from the three older siblings flexing their considerable powers. Maze was too old – technically older than both archangels before her, though she had not been there to see the universe form or the first moments on Earth. She was of Hell and had lived longer than either of them combined – to be intimidated, but she was fully aware that Lucifer’s presence protected her._

_“Leave,” said Amenadiel._

_“Of course, brother,” said Lucifer smiling with all teeth bared. Then he looked to the side. There was a boy, about twelve years of age, hiding beneath a block of fallen stone. “Have fun fulfilling Dad’s wishes. It’s not nearly as much of an honor as you might think.” He paused, looked at her and said, “Come, Mazikeen.”_

_It was only later that she realized that Lucifer had officially introduced her to his brothers with these two words. In hindsight, Maze knew how cruel it was that Lucifer had not been allowed to check on the younger siblings. Back then, all she knew was that Lucifer had been unnaturally quiet, his gait alluring and silent like that of a predator and she had shuddered in anticipation to be with him among living humans. She loved the Lord of Hell when he was at his least merciful. It was a bit like staring straight at the sun: blinding, dangerous and too beautiful to look away._

The flight attendant’s voice momentarily distracted her from her reveries. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have begun our descent into Washington DC. Please turn off all portable electronic devices and stow them until we have arrived at the gate. In preparation for landing in DC, be certain your seat back is straight up and your seat belt is fastened. Please secure your carry-on items, stow your tray table, and pass any remaining service items and unwanted reading materials to the flight attendants. Thank you.”

She expected Dromos to say something, but he continued to look out of the window as if he was fully aware that her mind had drifted way back into the past and wanted to give her some privacy. She gratefully took the offer.

_As Lucifer walked, the Hellfire melted away from his eyes and prowling steps gave way to an elegant steady gait making him look strangely human. An hour’s walk away, she saw a town and realized where he was headed._

_“My Lord,” said she, “I cannot hide my own skin.”_

_She did not look human. She loved her face, but humans would run away screaming if they knew. Lucifer turned to look at her and smiled, his eyes still cold and merciless, “But you are so very beautiful.” With that, he put a hand on her face and she could feel the devil’s power – what she would later call ‘magic of illusion’ taught to and perfected by the ancient gods – seep into her skin giving her a second face that she could show to humans at will._

_“Your will gives it, yours takes it away.”_

_Mazikeen rolled her eyes. Lucifer was always so wonderfully wordy when it came to these powers. They entered the humans’ territory and it was glorious. Maze’ only interaction with humans so far had been moments of terror on their part. They knew her and they feared her. Here, the anonymity was a new, foreign gift and she loved walking among them, enjoyed the lustful looks some of the men gave her. Lucifer removed a bag of what was likely the local currency._

_“Where did you-?” she asked._

_“Abraham’s courtesy,” said Lucifer coolly, “not sure if he bargained for Lot’s safe passage or if it was but a boon for Heaven. Either way, we made a deal. He doesn’t need to know that Dad had decided that Lot was righteous enough to live.”_

_He bought sandals, rapidly bargaining with the merchant until he sold them for the bare minimum. Maze was quite sure the merchant was scared enough that he would have given them for free. Lucifer’s eyes were frightfully dark._

_It was glorious._

_There was one merchant selling weapons and without exchanging a single word, they approached him._

_“I see two travelers of good taste,” said the man brightly in the local language. “Come, come, look at these beautifully crafted daggers, made with the utmost care of a local smith.”_

_“Why then do_ you _sell them,” asked Lucifer, smoothly assuming an accent that could be found a few days’ journey away, “and not the smith?”_

_“Alas! My brother is an outstanding smith but he is not well-versed in the world of trade.”_

_Lie._

_Lucifer twitched having picked up on it as well, but he was not saying anything just yet. Meanwhile, Maze took one of the daggers for inspection. They had been made from cheap steel and no proud smith would ever agree to sell them._

_“And what are these?”_

_There were decorated weapons made of bone or ivory. They looked beautiful and well-crafted._

_“Oh, these are my pride and joy. Do you see how white and unmarred it is? This was made from dragon bone-“_

_Whatever he had planned on saying next would never be uttered, because Lucifer’s eyes flashed red as he grabbed him and flung him over the table to the ground._

_“Liar!”_

_It was not a roar but a whisper yet echoing across the marketplace with menacing anger so raw that Maze shuddered. “You lie.”_

_“Yes!” gasped the merchant, confessing his sins as he sullied himself out of primal fear. Maze looked around to make sure no guards appeared and she ignored the merchant’s wife begging for mercy. “Yes, I lied. I’m a liar. I bought this from a luckless merchant from far away. He said nothing of dragons. I didn’t steal it from him, I swear, but he needed the coins and I almost received it for free. Please, let me go!”_

_Lucifer growled, took one of the ivory/bone weapons and said, “Let’s see just how well-crafted they are.”_

_“No, no, please!” begged the deceitful merchant belatedly. “Have mercy, please!”_

_Lucifer chuckled coldy in response, “Wrong domain, human.”_

_The guards who had approached stopped in their tracks. Good for them, because Mazikeen was ready to strike. Ignoring the man’s continued cries, Lucifer took the sharpened bone and traced it softly across his face. If it had not been for the smile on the devil’s face, one could have mistaken it for a lover’s touch._

_“Now, which bone do you want broken, little merchant?” whispered Lucifer. “What kind of punishment is appropriate for a liar and a fraud?”_

_“Please, please!” begged the human, but it was fruitless. Mazikeen knew that look on her lord’s face. She had just never seen it aimed at one guiltless of_ ratzákh _(what would later be translated to ‘kill’, but included rape and other crimes that shattered another human’s life and soul)._

_The man screamed when Lucifer jammed the bone-knife into his left lower arm right between the two bones within it._

_“Now, you who claimed to possess bones of dragon. Would you have claimed to have slayed it, too, if I had let you continue, or would another_ brother _have done the deed?” When all he received was a whimper, Lucifer shouted, “Speak! Or be silent and meet my wrath!”_

_“Yes!” screeched the man. “Yes, I would have claimed that two of my brothers were hunters and killed an old injured dragon they met on their journey to the west. I would have done that, oh please, I need my hands, please, please! Have mercy, please!”_

_“Stop whimpering,” growled Lucifer and Mazikeen smiled. Oh, she loved him like this. There was power rippling beneath these lean muscles. The guards decided to step in despite their obvious fear, but Maze incapacitated them before they came near Lucifer._

_“Please,” a female voice shouted, “please let my husband go. We have children, please.”_

_Lucifer looked at her mercilessly, “So did I once.” His expression was wild and untamed, his eyes a smoldering red reminding Maze of the ambers they had just stepped over not too many miles away._

_“Please,” she repeated, sympathy and understanding in her eyes, but mostly just fear, “I’m sorry. Please.”_

_A sound between a roar and a howl escaped Lucifer’s lips; he threw the bone away and inserted his thumbs into the wound, enclosed the lower arm and squeezed. A snap and deafening shriek told Mazikeen that Lucifer had just snapped both bones in one move. The devil then brought the crying man’s face close to his._

_“Speak another lie like this again and I will find you. Nobody will dare question my judgment. ”_

Maze grinned. Lucifer’s words had spread like a wildfire in the region. There was a reason why perjury was considered a serious crime; nobody lied to Celestial Justice.

_After that, Lucifer decided to leave human settlements and he carried her to the Eastern Sea where he settled down staggering from trying to fly on Earth. She could see how much even this short distance had hurt. His wings were as beautiful as ever, but everything beneath was a marring field of black and red._

_He kneeled at the shore and spoke a language she had never heard from his lips, or from anyone. It was not… much of a language at all. Sounds, yes, but they reminded her of trills. Her mind was filled with images, though: images, warmth and light. It was overwhelming._

_She was just about to retreat when something emerged from the waters and she stood still, ready to defend Lucifer: the creature was long, very long, neither serpent nor fish nor crocodile. Its head was focused on Lucifer and before Maze could even move, it curled around the devil’s body, which looked tiny in comparison. She was about to attack the beast when she saw Lucifer lean into the creature; his eyes filled with tears, smiling in a way she had only rarely witnessed before._

Leviathan, that was the name humans had given the dragon that dwelled in the Dead Sea; it had travelled through regular seas as well (mostly in order to hunt), but it was particularly fond of the high salt concentration of the Eastern Sea where it usually hibernated. Mazikeen would later find out that Leviathan was one of the last dragons on Earth (and find out that Lucifer had made them; a confession he had whispered into Hell’s most secret realms). Most had left, some had changed in ways Lucifer never truly elaborated and twenty-one remained as they once were, all across the world hiding in the sea so deep where neither human nor angel could find them. Occasionally, they would surface, just to see the sun again, or to hunt, but mostly, they slept. Leviathan was apparently a bit of a rebel and preferred dwelling on the surface or traveled around to visit family. He no longer dwelled on Earth these days, Lucifer had insisted on granting him passage to where the Gods had first come into being and where they returned after their congregations on Earth disappeared.

Mazikeen could not say to have liked Leviathan, and vice versa, but they had a grudging respect for each other. He had been the one granting her a scale as sharp as a knife in exchange for the dragon bone knife that she would never hold in her hands.

It had been a bit of an insult, an offer and a warning at once. That was why she respected him. She did not carry the priceless artefact on her person. She had not even taken it to Earth, but she continued with the tradition of always carrying an ivory or bone knife as a bit of memento of Lucifer at his least stable and most dangerous.

Mazikeen knew she should be grateful that he had mellowed after that, that some of that untamed power and pain melted away with time, but she was also selfish and missed that Lucifer a little bit. Back then, he had needed her in a way he never did after that, she had been his rock in a very stormy sea of emotion. That animalistic rawness of the devil had given way to a softer Fallen Angel that could be around humans without almost ripping them apart for lying, cheating, stealing, hurting others, once he started to see that humans were so much more than their many sins. At some point, not only had he gotten better at dealing with humans and non-demonic beings than she was, he had surpassed her becoming more the angel he had been long before she had known him and less like the merciless devil she had met.

It was a good thing, Maze knew. All the humans in their current lives would run away screaming if they knew what Lucifer had been capable of; never unjust or ammoral, but terrifying in a way he had not been in millenia.

Still, that old Lucifer had been her first friend, had been capable of true goodness underneath the inhuman danger he represented, and it was her right to miss the old Lord of Hell sometimes. The reason she was Hell’s Second and once considered the Queen of Hell was because she had been Lucifer’s whole world for a long time, and now she was not. It was hard.

She had talked to Linda about that when the nights became too quiet and Maze refused to call Lucifer, because she rejected _needing_ her lord. Linda had explained to her about co-dependent relationships and how this was clearly something that developed between the two of them over the years. Lucifer had needed her for a very long time and she had not realized how much she disappeared into the devil’s Light before his focus had shifted elsewhere and she continued to jealously guard him, believing it was to protect him and not something she did to keep him to herself.

This past year had taught her that she was somebody without him, had developed a relationship with Linda (who may be Lucifer’s therapist, but even that had started to lessen with Dr. Bill and a team of profilers helping him) and a steady friendship with the Monroe family. She was still a bit lost sometimes, and she wondered how Lucifer had done it, opened himself up to these mortals who would die before they knew it, but she also felt different.

In a good way. Like she was free to make her own choices.

Dromos’ appearance had reminded her that she had duties, and she was grateful about that; she would definitely stay near Lucifer until she was sure that Amenadiel was no longer a threat, but she also felt really good about herself for having something that did not belong to Hell.

If only these things would not go away within a century. An unfamiliar arm wrapped around her shoulders, but Dromos’ presence was unmistakable.

Perhaps she just needed to build some relationships with immortals, like Lucifer was currently attempting with his siblings. She would ask him about that. She did not wish to befriend any angel but her former lord.

They landed soon after and Dromos was marveling about the ease of domestic flight travel and how everyone appeared to give Maze the respect she deserved.

“We’re being picked up by Frank Lawrence,” said she looking at her phone, which contained a message from Frank about where he was waiting for them. “He’s a friend of Lucifer’s.”

Dromos looked at her, confused, “I thought he was still on a case with those who are honored to work beside him.”

“He’s not a profiler,” said Maze, smirking a bit. She would love explaining this one.

“He’s a staff member, then,” concluded Dromos firmly. “One of his trusted employees.”

“Frank works at Astra as a manager, but he’s not directly working under Lucifer,” she grinned.

“A lover, then? A consort?”

“He has two of those, one of whom you might meet, Captain Ryan Turner,” she decided not to use the term ‘friends with benefits’ around Dromos today. Consort was appropriate enough, “his other consort, Jana Lawrence, isn’t here at the moment.”

“Ah, he’s the husband of Lucifer’s consort, then. Why didn’t you say so?” asked Dromos confused.

“Nope, not related and he’s just a friend.” How to explain the concept to Dromos? “Like you and I are.”

Dromos frowned, “So, Frank is sexless, I see. That explains it.”

Maze started at that, “I don’t know, actually. It never came up.” They approached the man she had only met once via Skype. The air around him was calm, alluring and sexy in a way that had not translated via phone. She understood Dromos’ point now. That was the only explanation why Lucifer had not jumped the guy. Well, the other explanation was that he was a very straight man. “Hey, Lawrence, are you sexless? Otherwise, I’m offering.” She grinned.

He looked like he wanted to jump into his car and drive away without them.

Good. It was time for people to know that Mazikeen of the Lilim was not playing around.

Too bad about the sex, though.

* * *

“Thank you for coming,” said Chloe to Father Jim Davison and ten of his colleagues who were altogether worried about the souls of those that associated themselves the devil. With Father Kinley, there would be twelve clergymen. This was a good number. “My name is Detective Chloe Decker, I’m a homicide detective of the LAPD and last year, I found out that the devil walks in our midst without anyone trying to stop him, not even the churches. Archbishop Matteo Cortez might even be considered a friend of Lucifer Morningstar. Father Kinley tried to contact him, but to no avail, unfortunately.”

“We have also had little luck with our superiors, I’m afraid,” said Father Davison. “But this is DC and thus, there are always politics to consider even within the church.” He smiled apologetically, “But my colleagues and I have all faced the devil, we’ve sat in the same room with him. We are here to help you ban him from the earthly plane.”

“Thank you,” said Chloe calmly, “and this is precisely what we’re going to do. We’ve all sworn our oaths, myself to serve and protect the citizens of this country and it is your duty to protect your congregations. Yes?”

One of the priests had lifted his hand, “I am here to support your efforts, but doesn’t Romans 13 tell us to obey the authorities? Moreover, we gave a promise to obey the bishop and his successors. I simply wish to make sure that we all know what we’re risking here.”

“True,” the honey-smooth voice of Archangel Amandiel caused most of the men to startle in their seats, “but then you are men of God, and the Holy Father should be your only true authority.”

“ _Acts 5:29_ ,” said Priest Davison in agreement, “ _Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men._ ’” His voice abruptly broke when he recognized Amenadiel for the archangel he was. They truly were men of faith, like Father Kinley said. They had instantly recognized Lucifer and his brother Raphael, an appearance confirmed by Amenadiel, and now they instantly recognized him.

“Do not fear me,” said Amenadiel calmly. “I am here to help.”

He then proceeded to elaborate the plans he had already explained to her and Father Kinley last night. As per Uriel’s constant observation of Patterns, he had seen that if they did not act now, Darkness could escape the Gates. Thus, when Uriel thought the time was right, Amenadiel had purposefully met with his sister just as she had been collecting a damned soul. Predictably, the demon Dromos emerged from Hell to help Lucifer with the conspiracy.

“The demons Mazikeen and Dromos are not some demonic minions with no will of their own,” warned Amenadiel. “They are among Lucifer’s oldest and most dangerous allies. You cannot defeat them, but as with our plan to stop Lucifer, you don’t need to. All we need is Time.”

Her phone rang and she slipped out already having heard the plan before.

“Decker.”

_“Decker, this is Monroe.”_

“Ma’am,” said Chloe standing straighter.

_“We didn’t get to talk much last night, but congratulation on an excellent speech. I think we might have managed to cause a change in the system.”_

It was not surprising that Police Chief Monroe had not seen her last night. She had been too busy schoozing with every politician within reach, “Thank you, ma’am.”

_“Anyway, I’ll stay in the city for a couple of days to wrap things up. I’m assuming you’re already at the airport.”_

Shit.

“No, ma’am, not yet.”

There was a pause, _“Well, it might actually be good to have you with me when I have dinner with Senator Wallas. She was particularly taken with your speech. Tonight at 7 PM.”_

Shit, shit, shit.

This was not good. They had planned on setting things into motion as soon as the devil was back in town.

“I-“

_“Perfect, I’ll send you the information.”_

Monroe hung up before Chloe could say anything. Frustrated, she put the phone away and almost had a heart attack when she saw Uriel no more than ten feet away, smiling.

“Relax, Detective Decker,” said he, his voice still sounding overtly emotionless, like glass cracking in the heat. “It is going exactly as planned. Make sure to drink three glasses of red wine,” he paused, “but no more. Take the _Fettucine Alfredo_.”

With that, he walked away joining his brother.

Chloe’s heart started to hammer. Did this mean that it would all happen tonight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *grin*
> 
> References:  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thou_shalt_not_kill


	10. Of Devils, Faeries and Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Case closed. Now Emily is being thrown headfirst into a Celestial Family Drama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, my friends, this is my last high-speed update. On Monday, I have to return to work like a normal person (*whine*) and cannot update as frequently. I hope to update on a weekly to every-two-weekly schedule.
> 
> Everyone out there: Stay safe, stay healthy.

“High Priestess Davis-” began Emily. She had offered to drive her to the police station for a complete statement, while Lucifer and Hotch drove back with Moloughney. The choice of transportation was made for two reasons: one, to separate a victim from her attacker and two, to make sure Hulda did not try to do anything stupid. The faerie had disappeared back into the woods, but Lucifer said that Hulda had a claim to Mologhney’s life for threatening the high priestess of her coven, and he would not be taking chances in these woods.

“Apart from the fact that nobody would believe me, Agent Prentiss,” said Marianne Davis with an amused grin on her lips, “the devil’s secret is safe with me.”

“That can’t have been easy,” said Emily sympathetically. “When you first found out.”

High Priestess Davis laughed, “If by that you mean me praying to the Goddess for protection by the riverbank eighteen years ago and Hulda emerging from it looking every bit like the water faerie she is, telling me about the secret path to Avalon and how it this path may be accessed from every water source, even a bathtub, if I find the right threads.”

Emily was a bit speechless, “How did you react?”

“Ran away screaming, of course, got drunk, went home late at night only to find Hulda in my bathtub. She wished to prove her point.”

Emily sighed, “So total disregard for privacy is pervasive for all supernatural beings. After he came to DC, each and every single one of us was visited. With time, we were prepared for the shock, but Hotch decided that the easiest way to show him how privacy works among humans is to live by example. We always ask him if we could visit him both at his home or his club. We never enter a room he’s in without waiting for permission to enter. Unless they’re public rooms and we’re on the job. That kind of thing.”

“Club?”

“He owns a night club in DC.” Predictably, Priestess Davis chuckled disbelievingly. “He’s started to announce his visits.”

The high priestess hummed, “That’s one way to do it.”

“What did you do?”

“I took her up on her offer.” Emily’s facial expression had to be hilarious because the priestess started to giggle. “Apologies, that must have been shocking. I mean, from what I’ve seen he must be the complete opposite of what I expected the devil to be, so he’s likely practically asexual.” Emily had to stop the car, so she could take a moment to recover from her laughter.

“He flirted with you two days ago!”

“I must be honest,” said Priestess Davis, “I don’t actually remember him being there. I mean, I remember him being there, but I don’t remember _him_ being there.” She paused, “This isn’t making any sense.”

“Although this is the first time I saw Lucifer conceal himself in such a manner, I can easily believe that it must be a bit disconcerting.” Lucifer had given them a crash course on magic and faeries; there was a whole world to it that they were still unaware of. She drove on and for a while, she did not know what to say before curiosity got the better of her, “So, you and Hulda-“

“Just a handful of times,” said the priestess, but behind that grin was a sigh of memory that made Emily grin.

“Good?”

“Oh girl, you’ve no idea. Unforgettable,” sighed Davis. “So, Morningstar’s not asexual or celibate either I presume.”

Emily shook her head smiling, “Whatever the complete opposite of these two words, that’s what he is. But he’s a colleague and he respects boundaries that are stated clearly. Doesn’t mean he won’t flirt like there is no tomorrow, but I think he’d be shocked out of his mind if any member of our team took him up on a playful offer. He would have, I’m sure, a few months ago, but now that’s no longer the case. ”

“Hulda has no such qualms,” said Priestess Davis. “She respects when I say ‘no’, but she doesn’t really change. She’s volatile and unpredictable, but she stays the same, untouched by time.” Emily had not expected that at all. She knew three supernatural entities personally: Lucifer and Raphael, and Muriel, although Emily had only met her once during a case. Her older brothers adapted, both were not strangers to change, but that could be related to their domain. Both Light and healing required a lot of adaption because they were part of life and life always changed. “Hulda sees me as a potential source of pleasure and will pursue it if she wishes to,” continued the high priestess.

“And you don’t?”

“Don’t get me wrong, Hulda’s amazing, but I am a high priestess. I need balance. Being with her is me embracing chaos, indulging in the darkness that we celebrate during Mabon. It’s wonderful, it’s utterly breathtaking, but a priestess needs to breathe. I need stability.”

“The rest of your coven…”

“-don’t see Hulda as I do. They never see her beyond the Mabon celebrations. You saw how flashy she is,” she smiled fondly. “That is what they see.”

“And you?”

“A soul that went through millennia of hardship and pain, a soul that bowed but remained unbroken in her ways,” said Priestess Davis quietly. “Not human but not inhuman either.” She paused, frowning. “I’m not making any sense.”

“Yes, you are!” exclaimed Emily. She had to stop the car again. Her heart was hammering. This was the first time she could have an honest conversation with someone who was thrown into the same crazy world she had just discovered a year ago that was not directly associated with Lucifer. She had not realized how much this had affected her until she saw High Priestess Davis having to adjust her own worldview. “I know what you mean. Lucifer, he… his feelings go deeper than any of ours, yet he can put all these emotions aside instantly if necessary. He’s been hurt so profoundly, I’m surprised he trusts anyone, but-“

“He looks at you and you know he trusts you with all his heart,” completed Davis, “like whatever you say will be taken seriously, and it’s terrifying because it makes you realize how much power you suddenly hold.”

“Yes,” confirmed Emily.

“At least you’re not the only one. I mean, the coven knows, but they…”

“They don’t know her, they worship her,” concluded Emily for her, which Priestess Davis confirmed with a nod.

“I wish you’d stay,” said Priestess Davis suddenly, desperately.

“We’ve got a pretty solid case, and as soon as Mr. Mologhney woke up, he confessed to every felony he’s committed in these past weeks,” said Emily. “There’s a good chance he’ll be convicted within the year. After the case is closed, regulations don’t prohibit us from interacting with each other. Before that, we can’t because you’re a victim and I don’t think our bosses or the courts will give us a blank check just because we share supernatural friends.”

“What’s the weirdest thing you’ve learned ever since you met him, Agent Prentiss… Emily, was it? Can I call you Emily in this car? Please, call me Marianne.”

“Of course, yes, it’s Emily. The weirdest thing?” That was a tough question. She took her time to restart the car and continue their journey. “I honestly can’t say. I’m just humbled by the whole scale of it.”

“Yeah,” said Marianne quietly. “Same with me. With Hulda it was all intimate, wild and chaotic, but ultimately contained in its own little world. With the devil, I suddenly feel like… what did he say to Tom Mologhney? A speck of dirt.”

“That’s not how he sees us, though,” contradicted Emily. “He views us as special, little lights worth cherising.”

“It’s kind of belittling, don’t you think?”

Emily had thought about that, “He’s almost as old as the universe. The solar system wouldn’t exist without him. Him seeing us as special is something to be grateful for. Besides, as unbelievable as it may sound, he holds our opinions in high esteem.”

“So, I’ve seen. Your boss Agent Hotchner-“

The profiler grinned at that, “Still single. Divorced a year ago, one son he’s absolutely dedicated to, good man, very loyal, but are you interested in him?”

“I enjoy women as should any smart gall, Emily, but I do prefer dating men. What about you?”

“Men, I’m afraid. I’ve had some experiences in college, but I’ve only ever dated men,” answered Emily truthfully.

“Good experiences, I hope?” asked Marianne mischievously. When Emily started a bit at the sudden change of topic, the high priestess said, “I’m not flirting with you. My favored type are dark-haired, middle-aged men with a serene expression and eyes so warm they can melt honey.”

“Oh, you’ve never seen Hotch pissed off or worse, disappointed,” giggled Emily before sobbering up quickly. “Apologies, this is highly unprofessional.”

“Hun, I’m friends with a faerie, you’re friends with the devil. A bit of mischief should be ours to enjoy,” was her calm reply.

They arrived not too long after, but given the time it had taken Emily to get there, Mologhney had already been taken into custody by the local police department and Chief Mayfield thanked them for their help.

“What’s the smug bastard doing here?” asked Marianne seeing Mr. Miller, and exhaled sharply, “That was too harsh. He’s a good man. His heart’s in the right place.”

“His list helped us narrow down the suspect and while it did not directly influence Lucifer’s decision to come and find you, it was crucial for our investigation,” informed her Emily.

Marianne sighed, “Yes, yes, I’ll be nice to him. He’s just so unbearably smug in his belief that he knows everything.”

“Think about it this way: he believes the principles of the Satanic church fit well with Lucifer’s beliefs and offered him to apply in order to become a part of the congregation,” suggested Emily. This caused the high priestess to snigger.

“Oh, I’ll remember that. I’ll remember this while praying for the darkness to pass that Tom brought to this town.”

Emily had respected the high priestess from the moment she met her, but this statement showed that ‘prudence’ truly was her virtue.

They stepped out of the car and approached Miller, Coleman, Morgan and Lucifer.

“It’s a shame you’ll leave us so soon,” said Mr. Coleman. “I would have liked to hear more about your work. It sounds fascinating.”

“And that in turn makes you sound like a serial killer,” was Lucifer’s brutally honest reply.

“Mr. Fletcher,” said Morgan tiredly. “Leave the kid alone.”

“I’m just warning him about the dangers of slipping into temptation,” was Lucifer’s cool reply. He really did not trust that young man.

“And how would you feel if the people closest to you believed you to be a monster when you didn’t do anything wrong?”

Morgan’s soft inquiry hit right where it hurt most. Lucifer’s mouth fell open in surprise and he looked from the profiler’s knowing look to the young man in front of him and he lowered his head wordlessly.

“Just because he’s dark doesn’t mean he’s evil,” reminded him Morgan quietly.

Lucifer took a shuddering breath before glancing at Coleman, “Take care of yourself. Don’t slip away into darkness. It may seem inviting, but it’ll chew you up until there’s nothing left of you. The devil doesn’t suffer fools. Don’t be foolish enough to give into dark desires.”

With that, he briskly walked away.

“So very dramatic,” said Miller disparagingly. “I knew he’d be a theist, but his views are quiet esoteric.”

Coleman smiled in return, “I think Martin would like him. He’s the way Martin would like to be, an unapologetic guardian of what is right without worshipping false virtues like chastity.”

“Martin’s not ruthless enough for that,” scoffed Miller. “He’d feel pity the second someone genuinely apologizes.”

“If Mr. Fletcher were still here, he would tell you to listen to Martin Laurent. He believes mercy to be a virtue,” said Morgan.

“Why then doesn’t he show any?” frowned Mr. Coleman.

“Because,” answered Morgan with a painful smile, “mercy was never given to him. He’s much more merciful than you think…and than he thinks.”

“Marianne,” said Miller, noticing the newcomers for the first time. He sounded genuinely concerned. “Are you alright?”

“Thanks to the quick actions of a friend, Agents Prentiss and Hotchner as well as Mr. Fletcher,” was her honest reply.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“Praised be Satan for protecting you,” was Mr. Coleman’s comment.

“Thank you, dear,” smiled Marianne. “I assure you that his help was crucial.”

“I thought you didn’t worship ‘evil.’”

“I believe in duality as do Mr. Laurent and his flock.”

“How?” asked Miller, genuinely curious.

“Well, the whole world thinks that the devil is evil. In order to keep the balance, some must believe he’s Light incarnated and address him as such.” Marianne smiled mischievously at Emily before continuing, “If you will excuse me, I have a statement to make.”

“She’s _tough_ ,” commented Morgan an hour and far too many reports later. They were wrapping things up quickly in order to get on that plane to hear what was going on with Lucifer.

“Yes, she is,” she began and then looked at her colleague. She had never said anything to Derek, but she decided to say something today, “So were you.”

“He saved my life.”

“And you rejected religion so wholly that Miller would have had an interest in you a year ago,” said Emily firmly.

“My world didn’t turn as much as yours,” was Morgan’s reply, while filling out form number I-Want-A-Vacation-Stat mechanically. “I’ve thought about this before. You, Rossi and Hotch, you genuinely believed in a caring God, no matter how critically some of you may have viewed organized religion. Your faith in God was a constant, however subconsciously. I… I’ve known for a long time that God couldn’t give less of a damn about us. Learning that his son does, is one of the best things that ever happened to me.”

What a statement. She could spend hours analyzing this statement. No wonder he was so fearless and genuinely trusting when it came to Lucifer; it had taken Emily much longer had to fully _accept_ whom they had met.

“Why did you think so?”

“Come on,” Morgan deflected abruptly. “Let’s finish this and go home. Lucifer needs us.”

The rest of the team agreed with Morgan’s assessment and they were back on that plane in only a couple of hours. While on the plane, Lucifer told them what was going on with him and his family.

“What can we do?” asked Reid at the end of Lucifer’s speech.

“There isn’t much you can do,” said Lucifer. “In fact, it’s probably best if you stayed out of this. After all, Amenadiel could enter a room, drag me down to Hell and all you’d notice is that I’m there one moment and gone the next. Time is his domain.”

“So, he stops time everywhere?” asked Reid.

“He can, but doesn’t bother usually because it’s an unnecessary waste of energy. Time’s relative. He’s the center.”

“Explain,” said JJ.

“The closer you are to him, whatever effect he wishes to cause, be it acceleration or stopping time, is most powerful near him and decreases the further you’re away from it,” explained the devil calmly. “How long it takes before the effect decreases entirely depends on how wide of a net he wants to cast.”

“To sum up, when it comes to angels, we can’t help, but there’s obviously a human component to this,” said Rossi impatiently. “What do you know about this Vatican order?”

“ _Adversus Adversarius?_ They’ve been around for centuries. Whenever I’m on Earth, it doesn’t take long for them to find out about it,” said Lucifer. “Annoying for the most part. They never harmed the humans in my company, but they have been successful in turning acquaintances against me. Especially back in the day when the church’s word was more important than that of the country’s leader.”

“They’ve been stalking you,” said Morgan coolly. “For centuries.”

“They’re hardly a threat,” retorted Lucifer rolling his eyes.

“Stalking is defined as ‘the crime of engaging in a course of conduct directed at a person that serves no legitimate purpose and seriously alarms, annoys, or intimidates that person.’”

Reid’s input was appreciated and it caused Lucifer to concede the point, “Okay, so they’ve been stalking me, but so has Amenadiel.”

“And if I could arrest him for repeated abduction, harrassment and assault, you bet your ass I would,” growled Morgan. “Doesn’t mean we’ll allow humans to bully you. Why did you never scare them shitless?”

“Who says I didn’t?” scoffed Lucifer. “But their only target so far has been me. They haven’t done anything to damn themselves and that gives me very little leeway.”

“And what happens to you is meaningless because your father’s actions that led to your Fall put a permanent target on your back making everything that is done to you justified,” said Hotch quietly.

“Precisely,” confirmed Lucifer with false cheerfulness. “I don’t plan on going down without a fight, though. Maze and Dromos are in town and I intend on using that to my advantage.”

“But you won’t elaborate because… How could death be here on this plane?” asked JJ, confused.

“Oh, humans and your quaint views on what life entails. Where there’s life, there’s death and life’s everywhere on Earth,” smiled Lucifer. “I don’t think Azrael is listenting and even if she did, I’m not sure whether she would report directly back to Amenadiel, but I cannot tell for certain.”

 _“Everyone, this is Jake speaking,”_ said the pilot through the speakers. _“We’re about to encounter some severe turbulences. Please sit down, put on your seatbelts and braze yourselves. This is going to be one bumpy ride.”_

“Weird, I thought the weather forecast was clear,” muttered JJ, while they all scrambled to follow suit.

Except for Lucifer who looked out of the window, frowning.

“Lucifer, you should buckle up, too,” said Hotch before they were all flung back into their seats. Lucifer, even though he was completely unsecured, did not move an inch. “Never mind.”

From one moment to another, it looked like they were engulfed in dark clouds and lightning struck the plane every other minute. Emily was glad she had not eaten anything or this ride would have become a lot worse. The only thing that calmed her was Lucifer’s calm if a little cold reaction to it all. JJ held Reid’s hand who looked genuinely frightened, Morgan seemed to agree with Emily that they would not start to worry until Lucifer looked disturbed. Then it was over as abruptly as it had begun.

Too smoothly and too swift to be a natural thunderstorm.

 _“Alright, whatever that was,”_ said Jake, _“it’s over. Sky’s as clear as it gets. Let’s take you all home.”_

“What was that?” asked Rossi.

“A warning,” said Lucifer coldly, “and a threat. Damn.”

“And I thought _uh-oh_ was bad coming from you,” said JJ. “Was that your Dad?”

“Nope,” was the devil’s response. “Uriel’s entered the chat.”

“Uriel the Pattern?” repeated Hotch. “The one you said predicts every move you make unless you do the unexpected.”

“Yep.”

“Why announcing himself?” asked Derek. “This seems counterintuitive. You can prepare now.”

“Nothing Uriel does is ever counterintuitive. He just opened up a new can of patterns to throw me off. Every angel can read patterns. I do that, too, when I fight. He’s just muddying the waters in a way that allows him to strike without me being aware which pattern he intends to follow.”

That was mildly terrifying.

“Oh, and he threatened your lives,” added Lucifer darkly, “possibly telling you to stay out of this.”

“I thought that your father didn’t approve of angels killing humans,” said Rossi hoarsely once they overcame their shock.

“Oh, but he wouldn’t,” muttered Lucifer sarcastically. “He’d simply bump a skateboard that crosses the road causing a car to swerve causing a biker to be driven off course causing a run-in between a biker and a jogger leading to a fight between these two people ending with one of them drawing a knife and Agent Prentiss getting stabbed because she wants to end the conflict as is her duty and the fight happened on her daily jogging route.”

A shiver ran down Emily’s spine.

“I cannot imagine your father is unaware of the ultimate cause and Uriel’s intent,” said Hotch. “That is first degree murder. It’s about as premeditated as it gets.”

“But for that, Dad would have to care,” was Lucifer’s cold reply. “He doesn’t. He’s only ever punished one angel, yours truly. I’m not sure how far Amenadiel is willing to go. He’s never been much of a ruthless closer, but if he’s desperate enough? I don’t know.”

“What will you do?”

“That was just a warning. Uriel won’t kill you without announcing it to my face. He’ll say ‘obey or else’ and will be giving me the usual platitudes about free will: you can stay or leave. If you go back to Hell, your friends are safe, but if you stay, they die. Either way, you won’t see them again.”

It was difficult seeing the devil so hopeless.

“What will you do?” asked Reid quietly.

Lucifer looked at him and offered them a painfully heartbroken smile, “Get my affairs in order, get ready for the confrontation, hope I’m making the right choices.”

“Your affairs in order?” repeated Rossi.

“I do have an emergency plan, you know, just in case Heaven’s Host takes me back to Hell,” said Lucifer. “I’m not planning on going, but there’s little I can do short of hurting them. They’re not going to listen. They never listen.”

“You have Dromos and Maze,” said Morgan. “That’s got to count for something.”

“It does, just not that much in the great scheme of things. The only advantage is that Uriel doesn’t know demons, and Maze has been weaving chaos into her style for centuries, so it’ll take time for him to learn the pattern, but…” Lucifer sighed. “Honestly, right now, I just don’t see a way out. I can deal with Amenadiel, he’s predictable, but Uriel is lethal and he knows exactly how to threaten me.”

“We’re not letting them,” said JJ before looking at the rest of the team, “right?”

“Heaven can go screw itself for all I care,” agreed Morgan causing Lucifer to chuckle.

“Thank you,” said he after a moment. “In case it all changes very quickly, let me just tell you that I’ve never felt more at home than in these recent months in DC.” He looked very serious and downhearted, but there was genuine warmth in his eyes. “You’ve been true friends and I appreciate your support.”

“Hey, no need for such gloomy rhetoric just yet,” said Rossi. “If nothing else, I’ll arrest them on multiple counts of abduction, harrassment and whatever else I can make stick.”

“For that you’d have to be able to catch them to make it stick,” said Lucifer, but he was grinning in response. “Just promise me to leave when I tell you to.”

“Of course,” said Hotch, “but let us take our precautions. I will let Strauss know that your family is threatening you, and that we’re taking precautions including, with your permission, the installation of some security cameras in your club and home. If they take you, we will investigate and arrest them for breaking our laws. If nothing else, I’ll make sure they cannot step a foot on American ground again without the FBI hunting them down.”

Lost, Lucifer looked at their unit chief, “Agent Hotchner?”

“Only Kevin Lynch and Garcia will have access to these cameras. From what you told us, there are some rules you all abide to including the duty to keep the existence of the divine hidden from the general population. Let’s make sure your siblings not only break our rules, but your father’s, too. If they want you, I want to make sure they pay a painful price themselves. I’m not giving you up.”

Lucifer stared at him, “This is a dangerous game you’re playing.”

“I assure you that this isn’t a game to us,” was Hotch’s firm reply. “If Heaven decides to break their own rules to hurt the devil, then they are not the paragons of virtue their own advertising suggests.”

The devil had no answer to that open display of loyalty, but then he looked at the rest of the team, “You know, if any of you say that this isn’t what you signed up for when you hired me, I won’t hold it against you.”

“Did the foolish devil just suggest we abandon him when things get a little bumpy?” asked JJ with a smile on her face looking at Rossi.

“It seems like it,” agreed Rossi, “wouldn’t know where that is coming from, though. Must have to do with being immortal. When you’re that old, your hearing probably starts to deteriorate. ”

“Says the oldest man on the plane!” exclaimed Lucifer indignantly though his eyes gleamed mischievously. “I’ll have you know that my hearing is perfect.”

By the time they finally touched down, they had a plan ready.

Hotch and JJ would go to Quantico to close the case and to inform Strauss about the threat Lucifer’s own family was currently posing to him, including requesting the use of surveillance equipment in Lucifer’s club and personal home, with access restricted to Kevin and Garcia. Meanwhile, they established an ‘at least one human with Lucifer at all times’ rule meaning that Rossi, Morgan, Reid and Emily would alternate in keeping Lucifer company. This would not become official police protection, and they did not intend on establishing that, because the entire team would be off the case if that happened due to their personal involvement. Emily decided to take the first ‘shift’ so that the others could at least go to their respective apartments for a nice shower.

She was ultimately glad to have done so, because it gave her the opportunity to meet Candy and Dromos before everyone else.

Entering the club, Emily saw that Andrea and the rest of the day staff was finishing things up on their side and preparing for Friday evening. In order to keep to the homely feel of Astra as opposed to Lux, the dancers and club music usually started after 11 PM. What had not changed, was Lucifer’s eye for hiring and keeping great people

“Emily!” exclaimed Clara, one of the waitresses and student at Georgetown Law who would undoubtedly become a public defender one day. She was far too passionate about these matters and amazing at debating critical aspects of law enforcement. “Good to see you, you’re early-hey, boss!”

“Clara,” smiled Lucifer, but his eyes shifted to the bar where Mazikeen was sitting with a woman Emily had only ever seen over video conferences chatting with a tall, broad, bald and bearded man.

“Lucifer!” exclaimed the man, his deep voice echoed across the room and he rose from his seat instantly before he ran over, “Lucifer!”

Lucifer appeared quite taken aback at first, but then realization dawned, “Drom-“

The man’s arms wrapped around the devil and he pulled him close, “We’ve missed you so damn much.”

At first, it looked like Lucifer was not going to respond, but then he briefly hugged him back and took a small step back to look Dromos up and down with a grin, “Nice suit.”

Emily gasped.

“Relax, Agent Prentiss,” grinned Mazikeen as she sauntered closer, hips swinging suggestively, “the human was already dead.”

“I’m sorry again for not heeding your laws, my lord,” said Dromos, genuinely distressed, “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“It’s okay, just make sure you bring the body back where you found it,” said Lucifer.

“Of course, my lord.” Then he looked at Emily and said, “Agent Prentiss, Mazikeen said that you are one of the humans honored to work beside Lucifer.”

“Yes, that’s me,” grinned Emily. Lucifer had told them about Dromos’ tasks in Hell. He had neglected to tell them that he was absolutely adorable.

For one of Hell’s head torturers at least.

“Nice to finally meet you face to face,” said Candy, her smile as playful as Lucifer’s eyes when he looked at her.

“Pleasure’s all mine,” said Emily shaking hands with Lucifer’s wife.

“You look ravishing, dear,” said the devil and gave Candy a long, affectionate hug, which she returned with gusto. “I can’t wait to introduce you to my patrons. I hope the staff’s treated you well.”

“They’re darlings, actually, I might just steal some of them if you aren’t careful,” grinned Candy.

“We’re married. They’re yours, too, as long as they agree,” was all Lucifer said before his focus was on Maze.

Mazikeen was smiling and her brown eyes almost seemed to shine in the lights of the club. There was something to that smile that Emily could not properly interpret: an eons-old understanding. Lucifer’s expression was just as fond. They both nodded without saying a word.

“When will I be meeting the others?” asked Candy curiously.

“One after another, I’m afraid. They’ve decided that having a human near me is the best way to protect me.”

“Good thinking,” confirmed Maze. “It’ll keep your family in line at least, but once the show starts rolling, the humans’ve got to go.”

“They know and accept that,” said Lucifer. “Uriel’s involved.”

“Well, fuck,” said Mazikeen looking less than pleased. “He announced himself?”

“Yeah, however that suits his patterns,” scoffed Lucifer.

“Plan?”

“Several of them are floating around, but closing in on them is dangerous considering the people involved on the other side.”

“Same.”

Not even Dromos seemed to entirely understand what these two were talking about. There was a language all of its own to the way they talked, communication born from an unimaginable number of years together.

“Drink?”

“Hell, yes!” exclaimed Dromos. “This body has a sturdy liver.”

Lucifer chuckled and led them to the bar. Emily did not drink, but she spent a lot of time talking to Candy while the demons and the devil caught up on ‘business’. Unsurprisingly, Lucifer’s absence from Hell had burdened Dromos with a lot of decisions to make and uncertainties to resolve, and Lucifer decided that – although he planned on staying retired – he would not let the current Steward of Hell return without at least some more pointers. Candy was a great person to talk to, so while the others growled in what Emily thought was the demons’ native language, she could get to know the singer and club owner a little better.

“Well, well, well, if that isn’t the famous Candy Fletcher-Morningstar.” Emily could hear the smile in Morgan’s voice even before seeing him. Garcia and Kevin were with him carrying boxes full of surveillance cameras, which would be sparsely placed in locations that Lucifer frequented such as the piano, the bar and their sofa. In the meantime, Lucifer had made sure to announce the temporarily intensified security measures that would be removed as soon as possible.

Candy got up and they hugged instantly, which was followed by a squeal and a happy Garcia joining the hug. Kevin, noticing that all of a sudden, he was the only one standing close to Lucifer squealed a little and stepped near Maze and Dromos, obviously assuming they were either members of Lucifer’s staff or friends.

Human friends.

It was almost comical to see the blood drain from his face when introductions were made. Still, he had balls, Emily had to give to him, because he did not pass out and instead explained to Lucifer how the surveillance equipment worked, where they would install it, and that they would set up a computer in Lucifer’s office that would save all the feeds, while they also had remote access from Quantico.

“Just the two of you,” asked Lucifer, worried, “that sounds very exhausting.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll have the first shift until midnight, then Penelope will take over until the morning and then I’ll take over until noon, and once we’re happy with how all the cameras work, we’ll periodically check the footage. This isn’t 24-hour surveillance, though we’re using surveillance equipment. This is simply to protect you and your patrons and to have evidence if your family tries t-wait,” he then stared at Garcia, “I’m going to install equipment to spy on G-the Big Man upstairs?”

“It’s very unlikely that Dad’ll show up and I doubt your equipement would survive the occasion,” said Lucifer nonchalantly. “You’ll be securing footage of three archangels: Amenadiel, Uriel and Azrael. I think. Perhaps others.”

“So,” stuttered Kevin, “I’m not spying on…Him, I’m going to spy on Death?”

“Yes,” answered the demons and Lucifer.

“Okay, then,” muttered Kevin, “sure, if you will excuse me, I’ll go to-just-be right back.”

Garcia quickly ran after him.

“He’s taking it well,” said Maze, impressed.

“He’s a very brave man,” said Lucifer fondly.

Meanwhile, Dromos had spent quite a bit of time looking at Morgan with an unreadable expression, “I am Dromos of the Lilim.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Morgan shaking hands, “Derek Mor-the whole name thing doesn’t work for demons, right?”

“Very good, Agent Morgan,” exclaimed Lucifer, nodding proudly, “indeed it does not.”

“Good,” said Morgan, looking a bit uncomfortable with Dromos still holding his right hand and inspecting him in a way he had done with Emily.

“Who hurt you?” asked Dromos sharply. “Are they still alive?”

The reaction was instantaneous: Morgan ripped his hand away, shocked and Mazikeen looked genuinely surprised staring at Morgan with an almost similarly scruitinzing expression as Dromos had earlier.

Lucifer was not surprsied, but instead he looked worried, “Later, Dromos.”

“Forgive me, my lord,” said Dromos. “Forgive me, Agent Morgan.”

“All good, man,” said Morgan, but he looked unsettled and Emily was overtly curious about what this whole encounter could mean.

At 11 PM, several cameras and microphones later and after an amazing concert from Lucifer and Candy with the two of them singing every cheesy country duet in existence, Emily was ready to hit the sack. She was released by Rossi who would take an 8-hour shift from 11 PM to 7 AM, while Derek had his shift from 2 AM to 10 AM and Reid had his from 5 AM to 1 PM. JJ, Will or Hotch would then take over for the afternoon. It was not exactly procedure, but this was how they would do it over the weekend and they would reevaluate further procedure on Sunday evening.

She said goodbye to the group and left the club. Outside, she was surprised to see Chloe Decker discussing with Seth.

“-really need to get in.”

“Look, ma’am, I’m sorry, but you’re not sober. Try again tomorrow, perhaps you should come earlier before you drink yourself into a mood.”

“This is important…”

“Seth,” said Emily, putting a hand on his arm, “Seth, it’s okay, I got this.”

“Oh, I remember you,” said Detective Decker smiling broadly. “Emilily Prentiss, right?”

“Yes,” laughed the profiler, “yes, one syllable less, but yeah. I loved your speech yesterday. Very nice, congratulations, you’re doing an important job here.”

“I know,” said she, her speech patterns still more or less intact, but she was definitely tipsy. “I know, very important. My ex doesn’t think so, though. He thinks I should get back already, forget that anything ever happened.”

“Men,” said Emily sympathetically. She remembered Daniel Espinoza, but she had not known that these two split up. “Here to have fun?”

“No, actually, not fun, I just need to-“ she stopped, her eyes fixed on the side entrance to where Emily had led her so that Seth could take care of the patrons. Emily recognized that look from a mirror. She understood. She used to have major freakouts about Lucifer, sometimes avoiding him and sometimes seeking him out just to make sure it was real. Detective Decker did not have that opportunity. She had to feel quite adrift.

“Come on,” said Emily and made sure to lead her to Karen who would then bring her to the couch where Rossi, Maze and Dromos were sitting with Lucifer who appeared to have rejoined them after escorting Candy to bed. The singer had decided to go to bed since she was tired from traveling all day. Lucifer had a gigantic apartment installed for her on the floor beneath the penthouse, but he offered to take her to his rooms, which she had preferred, given the circumstances.

Tired herself, Emily let one of Lucifer’s boys know that she would leave her car here overnight, while she took a cab home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/stalking


	11. Through the Fog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new character takes us on a journey into the viewpoint of a well-established narrator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short note, because it's late and I should have gone to bed half an hour again.
> 
> Thanks for the support and this:
> 
> Warning for a weird beginning and end of this chapter. No worries, this won’t become the rule, though it may reappear in another story. More on that at the end.

_There is never just one path to a specific outcome. And no outcome is inevitable because a single deviating path is enough for things to change. While patterns change constantly, the Pattern wishes to direct and control them. In contrast, the Light will always be one thousand deviating paths outside of the Pattern’s control because, while the Pattern aches for order, Light will always move toward entropy._

_An example._

_Uriel told Chloe Decker to drink three glasses of red wine and eat the Fettucine Alfredo because this would lead to the desired outcome. He is unaware, with a police chief and a senator for company, more than just red wine would be consumed. He also does not know that Chloe Decker would barely be able to eat more than a few bites from the rich pasta. He definitely does not understand the reason why Chloe Decker would not eat enough. He does not know that she had barely eaten since coming to DC because she had spent her days fretting about the threat the devil posed for every moment he stayed on Earth, that she was concerned about the danger she put herself in by facing off that creature and she worried about that speech as it partially held the key to her future career at the LAPD; she also constantly worried about the safety of her daughter, and dealing with Celestial beings on top of it all had put a strain on her mind and soul. There were a lot of reasons for Chloe Decker’s actions, very human reasons, but Uriel does not care about them._

_Patterns are nothing more than a possible cascade of events. The patterns had told Uriel that three glasses of red wine would place Chloe Decker in the position to hand over the poison, but he does not know why._

_He is unaware that an insufficient amount of alcohol would bring forth an overtly focused and driven detective that would not take ‘no’ for an answer. He also does not know that too much alcohol would lower her inhibitions and cause her to deviate from their mutual goals; all he knows is that too much alcohol yielded too many possible outcomes in an uncontrollable fashion and that too little alcohol would not have the desired outcome. He needed her just inebriated enough to make her vulnerable, mellow yet strong enough for Lucifer to be charmed by the warmth of the Light she emitted._

_The Pattern does not see that, though. It is not part of his domain to look behind the reasons why certain paths come into being and others do not. He only needs to see the pattern._

_And the Light?_

_That is another story entirely. The Light hungers for knowledge, for need, for love, for so many things. Some of which may be contradictory. And thus, the Light constantly changes, and with it, the patterns become tricky and unpredictable._

_How?_

_Let us take a look._

_But first, we must step through the fog of inebriation in order to understand what goes on in the mind of Chloe Decker._

_…_

Three glasses of red wine and _Fettucine Alfredo_.

These had been Archangel Uriel’s instructions. He had not said anything about alcohol consumption before and after. Unfortunately, it turned out that both Monroe and Senator Wallas could hold their liquor with the best of them and started with white wine, followed by red wine and ending with a nightcap proposed by Senator Wallas. By the time she could finally take her leave from the two women, she was fairly drunk feeling the alcohol slowly taking affect.

However, before she had been able to go to her room to sleep it off, Uriel had been waiting for her.

_“It’s time.”_

_“I’m not feeling very well,” said Chloe. Alcohol and adrenaline were not a good combination. The walls started to spin a bit and she wanted to do nothing more than lie down and sleep._

_“Go now, make sure to let Priest Kinley know when Mazikeen leaves her master.”_

_“But…” she muttered._

_“Go, or the pattern changes in Lucifer’s favor.”_

Of course she had gone. She was not sure who scared her more: Uriel or the devil. The devil was this unknown entity that was not to be trusted, but while Lucifer could imitate human emotion to perfection – a danger all of its own – the archangel’s demeanor was so distinctly non-human that Chloe wanted to leave whatever room he was in. She had taken a cab and fortunately, Emily Prentiss had let her in, despite the bouncer’s reservation. All she had to do now was reach the devil’s couch before falling over.

She should have forced herself to eat more.

“Detective Decker!” exclaimed the devil and Chloe stumbled, torn between running away and edging closer. “Careful.” The monster shot up from his seat and offered his arm to lead her to where he was sitting with the demon Mazikeen, Agent Rossi and an unknown man. Grasping the flask with the poison in her pocket for strength, she led herself be guided to the couch. “Are you quite alright, detective?”

“Too much to drink,” was all she got out, while her heart hammered in her chest. She hoped that the devil could not hear it. The adrenaline was doing its work, sobering her up temporarily thus allowing her to regain control over her own faculties. It gave her back some control over her actions. “Chief Monroe can drink anyone under the table.”

That caused the devil to laugh. It sounded almost genuine, “Oh, remind me to invite her. Is she still in DC, then?”

“Yes, she is,” answered Chloe.

Mazikeen grinned, “Yep, that woman can drink. Her husband’s the opposite, though. A whimp.”

“What do these two think on threesomes?”

“To quote Monroe: _‘not with people I work with.’”_

“Perfect,” said the devil clapping his hand together. “I have to visit them next time I go to LA for a session with Dr. Linda.”

Having the devil’s and the demon’s attention on each other rather than Chloe slowed down her heartbeat and the fog instantly threatened to return. Just before it could engulf her entirely, she noticed calculating eyes on her. Both, the unknown man and Agent Rossi were scrutinizing her, the latter of whom addressed her first, “Excellent speech, Detective Decker.”

“Did the whole team watch it?” asked Chloe, a bit surprised.

“As if JJ and Emily would ever fail to take note of some much-needed representation,” was the profiler’s response. He spoke mildly, but Chloe recognized that look. He did not trust her. “How did you know?”

“I met Agent Prentiss just outside and we talked briefly.”

“Ah,” acknowledged Agent Rossi.

The silent man creeped her out a bit. His ice-blue eyes, bulky appearance and serious face that was hidden by a beard kind of reminded her of Father Kinley, but he wore leather where otherwise she was used to the cassock. He reminded her of Jeff Bridges as whatever his name was in Iron Man. She remembered Dan dragging her to the movies for that superhero stuff. The stranger did not say anything, though. He was simply observing her.

“I’m going to pay the priest a visit,” said the demon and rose from her seat.

“Be careful, Maze,” warned the devil. “At this point, I am unsure whether or not it’s a coincidence that both _Advsersus_ and my siblings are in town. I have to assume they work together…”

Chloe froze. Both Amenadiel and Uriel had said that it was possible for the devil to find out about their presence in DC, but it looked like he knew much more than she had anticipated.

“Don’t worry too much,” said the demon with a lazy smile. “I’m just going to take a brief look. The night is ours.” It sounded like a pledge.

“We may be what goes bump in the night,” was the devil’s response, “but don’t underestimate my siblings.”

“If I get a whiff of them, I’ll leave,” said she, “I promise.”

“Perhaps I should go,” said the man, “like this, the best fighter stays with you, my lord. She knows how to keep Uriel at bay. I have only experience fighting other demons.”

If she was still drunk before, this announcement sobered her up effectively, only leaving a queasy, unpleasant sensation. That man was a demon, too. This had to be Dromos.

“No, you can’t,” said Morningstar sharply. “You are more vulnerable than she is. Being in a skin not your own means that some of their techniques, with or without divine support, may hurt you.”

“You should stay with Lucifer, Mazikeen,” said the other demon.

“Dromos,” the devil responded, “she’ll be fine. This is by no means the first time she’s doing this.” Then he turned to Maze, “Be careful. The usual rules apply.”

She nodded and quickly walked out.

“Usual rules?” inquired Agent Rossi.

“But I told you back in LA… or I guess not, you weren’t present and I spoke Lilium. The general rule is this: I do not condone killing, but I allow it in self-defense. I will punish cruelty. Also, the goal here is to slip in and out without getting into trouble. She’ll run if she has to,” was the devil’s reply.

Chloe’s heart hammered in her chest. She asked where the restrooms were and was instantly accompanied by a member of the devil’s staff. Once she was in one of the bathroom stalls, she retrieved her phone and shakily typed a message to Father Kinley.

_‘The demon Mazikeen is on her way to you. They assume you work with the angels. Be prepared. Another demon, Dromos, is not in his own skin. I think he’s possessing a human body. Agent Rossi is with us (Him, Dromos, myself). Still at Astra.”_

Nervously, she bit her nails until she received her response.

_“We are ready. So far, everything occurred as Uriel predicted. Proceed as planned. Give him the poison tonight. Let us know instantly.”_

It calmed Chloe to know that the devil had not managed to surprise Uriel yet. She freshened up a bit and returned to the couch where Lucifer officially introduced her to the demon. He was smiling genially at her with a hint of curiosity.

“Are you then a consort or lover of Lucifer’s, my lady?” he asked.

Chloe who had asked for and received a glass of water nearly choked on it causing the devil to hesitantly pat her back as if he attempted to ease her pain. Her throat burned from the water in her airways.

“No, she’s not,” said the devil, “we’ve worked together back in LA.”

“A colleague then, like Agent Rossi? I will, of course, also pledge to you-“

Morningstar shook his head and interrupted the demon, “Not quite a colleague, more like an acquaintance. On our way to becoming friends and colleagues, I hope.” He smiled at her and Chloe felt sick to her stomach. He was dangerously good at appearing sincere.

The demon frowned, “So many different labels… Can you put them in my words, please? I need to understand what all these humans mean to you. I cannot address them properly without understanding who they are to you.”

The devil’s whole expression softened, “Just meet them. I’d never tell you what to think. Meet them on your own. Judge for yourself.”

This was such a weird moment to witness. This had to be some sort of scheme to appear sympathetic, especially when the demon smiled in response.

“So, Dromos,” asked Agent Rossi. “What do you do?”

“At the moment, I am here protecting my lord, and for these past millennia, I have been Steward of Hell ruling the realm in Lucifer’s absence with the help of the others.”

Millennia? What was he talking about?

The devil’s expression was grave.

“We miss him, of course,” said the demon looking at the devil like he was the most precious creature in the universe, “but I understand why he needed this. Before Lucifer left, I was Hell’s Third, next to Mazikeen a direct subordinate of Lucifer, his lieutenant and in charge of managing those who guard and take care of specific sections in Hell. My main passion, though, is and has always the punishment of those that hurt the little ones.”

“Crimes against children?” Agent Rossi rephrased for clarification.

“Yes!” exclaimed the demon smiling widely. “Yes, precisely.” Then his expression was grave, “It is quite horrifying… what they have done to children.”

He sounded so sincere that Chloe almost believed his horror.

“Yes,” said Agent Rossi lowering his head, “we’re stopping them, though. And when we’re too late, I know now that you are there to punish them for it. Thank you.”

The smile in response was broad and Dromos grasped Agent Rossi neck bringing their heads together in a brotherly gesture, “You are most welcome. So, you hunt them. The ones that hurt the little ones.”

“Among others, yes,” answered Agent Rossi. “We hunt all who hurt innocents.”

“No wonder Lucifer grants you his valuable time,” smiled the demon causing the profiler to chuckle.

“Yes, we’re grateful for his help. If you don’t mind, what kind of punishments do you bestow on those who hurt the children?”

“One of my favorite punishments is a technique developed by one of the demons in the section of those committing sex crimes against the little ones. They call it ‘peeling the onion.’”

The devil grinned at the term, “That one was inspired.”

What followed was a detailed description of what ‘peeling the onion’ entailed. To Chloe’s dismay, Agent Rossi was more curious than horrified asking for details what torturing a soul actually meant, how it was possible to cause physical harm on a non-corporal entity and providing input once he understood.

“-in veterinary medicine, there is a technique used to castrate calves where rubber rings cut off the blood supply to the testicles-“

The demon Dromos looked delighted at the suggestion, “If you get bored in Heaven, we-“

“-we are not recruiting my friends as torturers,” was the devil’s immediate if cheerful reply.

That did not stop Agent Rossi and the demon from further discussing the matter. While it was most likely the alcohol, she started to feel nauseous listening to these two happily discussing torture.

“Would you like to take a break?” asked the devil, leaning forward and looking at her with these deceitfully warm, dark-brown eyes. “Perhaps some more water?”

Her initial instinct was immediate rejection, but this gave her the opportunity she was waiting for, “I think so.”

He led her to the bar and Chloe’s heart continued to hammer in her chest.

“You know,” began the devil once they sat down in a quiet corner by the bar, “I’m not quite sure whether it is the alcohol or the lighting, but I have the distinct impression that you’re still afraid of me.” His expression was gentle and Chloe had trouble finding the duplicity behind it. It just showed that Father Kinley was right. This impression he gave of being new to this world and openly declaring himself as the ‘devil,’ it was nothing more than a diversionary tactic, pretending not to know how to appear human when in truth, he had spent millennia observing humans, imitating them, understanding them, so he would know exactly what to do and say to make people trust him. It was an insidious tactic. It was working, too. If Chloe did not know, she would think he was sincere.

She decided for an honest response. The devil might notice her dishonesty; he was the Father of Lies after all.

“I don’t want to be,” said she, “but…” It was true; she did not want to be afraid of the devil. She did not continue, though, hoping that Morningstar would draw his own conclusions.

“I understand,” said the devil softly and put some distance between them. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me neither.” His smile was fragile as if in pain. “Forgive me, detective, I honestly never wished to harm that brilliant Light of yours.”

“My Light?” asked Chloe. The angels had told her that her Light was very bright due to the God-given blessing that ensured her existence. It looked like it had an almost humanizing effect on the devil, now that she thought about it. Apart from that horrifying moment in the basement, he was always calm, collected and almost soft around her. It lowered his guard and made him vulnerable to her. This was her opportunity.

“Yes,” said he. Then he seemed to switch topics and said lightly, “Agent Hotchner tells me to be cautious around you for he thinks that your behavior around me doesn’t add up. You telling me about your father, for example. He found that strange.”

_Shit._

“I don’t want to be afraid of you,” she repeated, desperately looking for an answer. “I thought telling you would…”

“Take away that fear?” he suggested, his head titled sideways. “I see. It didn’t last, I take it.”

Chloe kept herself from sighing in relief. She forced herself to smile, “No, but, third time’s the charm, right?” She chuckled and her own fear could be easily translated into a nervous chuckle. She would never make a derisive comment about her brief history with acting ever again. Right now, it was saving her life.

“Indeed,” smiled the devil. “I would offer you a drink, but given the circumstance, perhaps a glass of water, some sort of carbonated sugary drink or juice?”

“Water’s fine for me,” said Chloe, charmed against all odds. There was something about the way he dealt with her fear that was calming, which frightened her all the more. If she could be put at ease although she knew what she was dealing, how easily was he able to manipulate those ignorant of his true identity? She could use that false kindness – or real, perhaps her Light made him kinder than he usually was – to her advantage. While the devil ordered their drinks, she readied her vial. She would have to be careful. The barkeeper would be trained to make sure nobody put anything into someone’s drink. She also covertly looked at Agent Rossi and the demon, but the latter was using both of his hands to describe something to the federal agent who was too taken with the narrative to look out for them. It was now or never. When the devil received their drinks, and turned to her, she pretended that he bumped into her, letting her purse fall to the ground.

“Pardon me, Detective,” said the devil and predictably bowed down to pick it up. Making sure within a split second that the barkeeper was distracted, she emptied the vial into his liquor-filled glass, and hid the empty vial in her pocket. “There you go.” He handed her back the purse, none the wiser. Chloe’s heart hammered in her chest.

“What shall we drink to?” asked the devil lifting his glass.

“Peace,” said she, immediately.

“I like that,” said the devil, lifting his glass. “To peace, this strange state of life that humanity just cannot seem to uphold even though it’s in their best interest.”

“To peace,” said Chloe and – in the hopes that the devil would imitate her – drank the whole glass of water without putting down the glass.

“Detective,” purred the devil and also emptied his glass in one swallow.

_“No, boss!”_

Chloe flinched at the voice. A man of Middle Eastern descent, dressed in a suit but obviously security detail, quickly approached her.

“She put something in your drink, “ said the man before he addressed the barkeeper, “Call an ambulance and the pol-“ The moment he grabbed her arms, Chloe’s training kicked in with a vengeance and she slipped through his grip, reached into her purse and grabbed her weapon, but before she could do anything, a strong hand grabbed her wrist making it impossible for her her to move without risking that she broke her own arm. The devil’s eyes were very dark and cold.

It was terrifying.

“Murad,” said the devil calmly, “Murad, don’t worry.”

“You don’t understand. She-“

“I know what she did. I’m tasting it as we speak. Would you do something for me, please?”

“Boss, this is dangerous,” said the security guard named Murad nervously.

“Would you do something for me, _please_?”

Something about that tone was more threatening than Uriel’s glass-like or Gabriel’s booming voice; it sounded like a plea and an order at the same time.

“Anything,” was the immediate reply, “you know that.”

“I think this party must come to an end earlier than I thought. The club is closing in thirty minutes. Let my patrons know. I will address them momentarily.”

“Let me call an ambulance,” repeated Murad.

“I am fine,” the devil forced out, but his grip on her was as strong as before. She did not dare move. “Please.”

“Okay,” said the security guard and brought his radio to his lips. “Babe, you there?”

_“Loud and clear.”_

“Boss’s just been roofied. Place is closing down in thirty.”

_“Shit, he okay?”_

“Yes, help me organize this, okay?”

“And the other floors as well, will you?” said Lucifer.

_“Want me to call the cops? Ambulance?”_

“Just clear the building,” said the devil, and Chloe attempted to free herself, but stopped immediately when she felt her wrist twist under the pressure. She lifted her free hand to fight when the devil sharply manoeuvred her against the table. “Don’t move!” he hissed. “I have no wish to explain to DC police why a dead Irishman skinned you alive for trying to hurt me. Murad?”

That threat effectively froze her in place. She had thought of shouting for help, but in this moment, it did not look like he was lying to her.

“Clear the building, mention it to Rossi, but no talk about that…woman hurting you. You got it, boss.”

_“Who hurt you, boss? That LA detective? Agent Prentiss said she was clear.”_

“Did she now?” Some emotion filtered through the devil’s cold demeanor, but Chloe could not say whether it was hurt or surprise. She was too frightened to think straight and hoped that the poison would finally do its job. “I’ll deal with that tidbit later. You go ahead.”

Murad left and the full fury of the devil was on her. For the briefest of moments, his eyes appeared to glow a glistening white, but when she could open her eyes again, they were smoldering red. He let her go, and again, she was thinking of running away or calling for help.

“Go ahead.” His cold comment held her in place and she did not dare move. Strangely enough, the red glow in his eyes was not the most frightening part about him. She had never seen him like this; all humanity was stripped away, from the way he stood to the way his expression was frozen to an emotionless mask. This was the Adversary and she was just a foolish human who would be crushed beneath his fingertips.

“Are you deaf?” asked the devil. “Go. Tell my brother that his tricks only ever work once.”

“The poison-” whispered Chloe.

“You weren’t genuinely naïve enough to believe that this had any effect on me, were you?” sneered Morningstar with an expression that was the mockery of a smile. “Go.”

He did not shout the command, but it seemed to echo in her ears and she could feel it in her very bones. Without thinking twice, she ran.

To the exit, out of the club, as far away as she could.

Her chest was burning from the lack of air, her feet hurt and every single muscle in her body felt like lead once she came to a stop. She had been afraid of the devil since she knew of his existence. For the first time ever, she was truly terrified to the point where she was convinced that she would never be able to sleep again. With trembling fingers, she extracted her phone and called Father Kinley.

_“Chloe.”_

“He took the poison, but it didn’t do anything to him.” She said… or she thought she did. What came from her lips was a garbled mess. Still, her message was received because another voice, that sounded even more crystalline then when she talked to Uriel face to face, answered a few seconds later.

_“We’re ready. Israfel, Daniel, Nithael, take the demon. We’ll need her.”_

…

_Now, why did we look at all this? Why did we look through the eyes of a mortal? Chloe Decker witnessed something very important, something perhaps, that most mortals would have missed. Did you see it?_

_You may wonder why a concerned parent does not interfere when things are becoming so dire between siblings. The truth is that children fight sometimes, and there is nothing a parent can say to disabuse them of silly or dangerous notions, to alleviate the feeling of jealousy, fear or anger, especially if these emotions festered for so long._

_Sometimes, as a parent, patience is all you can offer._

_However, patience only goes so far, and injustice has been a constant for Lucifer, injustice provoked by one and committed by the other parent. Justice and patience do not always go hand in hand, and the former deserves some attention after eons of putting it aside._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, one character just broke the forth wall. As I said at the beginning, it won’t happen frequently. I used it both as narrative tool (because I cannot write the thoughts of a drunk person as well as I want to) and to show the uniqueness of this character.


	12. Brother Ours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showdown at Astra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys,
> 
> I think I managed to be on time for once...
> 
> Thank you so much for your continued support. Stay healthy and safe. I look forward to discussing this chapter with you. It was fun to write.

Derek cursed all the way to the club, sirene blaring, and a nervous Reid ‘holding on for dear life.’ Garcia was already at Quantico with Kevin who had called Derek, panicked, that the camera facing Lucifer’s favorite spot by the bar had just captured Detective Decker putting something into the devil’s drink. He had picked up Reid as soon as he got dressed and they were currently driving as quickly as they could to Astra.

This was against regulations. They should be calling the local authorities, but Lucifer barely tolerated _their_ presence, he would not be kind to DC police, and there was no need sour that relationship. After all, Astra may be a hangout for the FBI, but DC police could meddle with the peace of that place if Lucifer sufficiently antagonized them... which he would if they appeared uninvited. For the devil to accept the presence of the team, Hotch had to promise him that they would leave the second he told them to. He did not want any ‘mortals caught in the crossfire.’ The club was already empty, or at least, Reid had told him so.

Fucking Chloe Decker.

_Damn it._

He should have been clearer about his mistrust of her. But then, he had simply thought her to be ambitious and focused on being right and catching the ‘bad guys’ rather than keeping your partner safe.

“Are you okay?” asked Reid so quietly he could barely hear him over the sound of the engine.

“Fine,” hissed Derek, and felt instant regret. He had not meant to snap at his younger colleague and quasi-brother. “Sorry. Just on edge. Decker wanted Lucifer dead. Never mind she couldn’t, never mind she just meant to ‘banish’ him. She has obviously no idea what she’s doing and was possibly brainwashed by a Catholic order, but…” he stopped, trying to find the words why he felt unbalanced, “…her intentions are clear and I should have seen it.”

“She’s a detective with a former acting career,” was Reid’s calm reply. “At least you continued to distrust her. Imagine how Emily’s feeling right now. She helped her gain access to the club. Rossi and Dromos were just a few feet away while it happened.”

_G-damn it._

_“Don’t tell Dromos,”_ Lucifer had said to Hotch. _“He just knows that Amenadiel tried to poison me, but he doesn’t know about the vessel he used. I don’t want to explain a dead detective to local law enforcement.”_

Apparently, neither Dromos nor Mazikeen were prone to killing people, but Lucifer allowed it for self-defense. When it came to defending the devil, Lucifer did not permit it, but both had done it in the past. Apparently, protecting the devil was worth the punishment, so Lucifer usually kept it to himself when mortals actively attempted to harm him. He knew they would make Decker pay for laying a hand on their boss.

_“Don’t make me regret this, Agent Hotchner. I’m telling you because I think you need to know. Make sure neither Dromos nor Mazikeen hear about this. That’s all I ask. You’re taking care of the human mess, the Catholic Order and Detective Decker. We’re taking care of the angels. Deal?”_

Hotch had mentioned this deal to each and every member of the team _verbatim,_ including Kevin, together with a very stern reminder as well as additional instructions, _“He’s putting his faith in us and we are not going to disappoint him. Garcia’s on her way to Quantico, Reid and Morgan, you go to Astra. I’m on my way there as well. JJ and Emily, you go to the address Lucifer gave you. Remember, we don’t have any evidence that Father Kinley is involved and we want to avoid an international incident. Just go there and retrieve Mazikeen. Lucifer hasn’t heard from her and he’s getting anxious. Still, he said that, if you notice anything unusual, you should come to Astra.”_

Derek had protested, of course, not finding the idea appealing of splitting up with celestials being in cahoots with an extremist Catholic Order literally hellbound on banning the devil from the earthly plane. Lucifer agreed with him, actually, but he also knew that it was unlikely for any of his siblings to interfere with human affairs. They would not protect the priests if human law enforcement decided to interfere. The problem was, while they had evidence of Chloe Decker putting something into Lucifer’s drink, they only had Lucifer’s word that this was a deadly poison (and that Amenadiel had somehow bottled time within it, and Derek’s brain hurt from the mere thought). It was enough for them to go to the parish. According to Lucifer, this was also enough for Amenadiel and Uriel to let _Adversus_ and Decker face the legal consequences of their actions, which was depressing evidence for just how little angels cared about humans, even when humans came to their aid. However, from a judicial point of view, they had no reason to be there and if they appeared in an official capacity, Emily and JJ could face real consequences. Therefore, they had strict orders to pick up Mazikeen and arrest Decker if she happened to be there; they could detain her for the suspected possession of Rohypnol. There was footage of her slipping something into his drink and there was thankfully a witness: Murad Seif. An arrest warrant would be out as soon as they got hold of a judge. Of course, Lucifer had not suffered from any effects of the supposedly administered drug, and they could never make the charges stick, since she would not be carrying Rohypnol on her person and she was smart enough not to keep the evidence for her attempted poisoning, evidence that would elevate her crimes to attempted murder. She knew the system too well for that. Unfortunately, all this still did not connect her to the parish or Father Kinley, so they had no reason to show up there for an arrest-

“Reid, call Garcia. Put me on speaker,” said Derek. The phone did not ring once before they heard her pick it up.

_“Oh, thank G-no, I refuse to thank that idiot who pits his own children against each other and does nothing to stop it, I-“_

“Baby girl, I need you.” He said it warmly. She sounded very stressed and he needed her to calm down. As always, it worked.

 _“Of course, sugar. I’ll be the creamer to your coffee,”_ she purred.

“Perfect, look, I know we haven’t really looked into Decker, but can you check her finances, see if there are any connections between her and Kinley?”

_“Honey, I love you, but while I theoretically could tell you precisely the last time she used her credit card and what for, we don’t have an official case against her, and she’s a cop.”_

Right.

While he did not doubt Monroe would tear Decker a new one if they presented her with any evidence. In order to protect her departments, Monroe would not leave the FBI unscathed for harrassing one of her detectives, however justified.

 _“But,”_ chirped Garcia, and Derek grinned because these were always the best ‘buts,’ “ _what I can do is look at her phone record during her time in in DC because we’re suspecting her of having used a date rape drug, and that in turn, allows us to suspect that she called her ‘dealer’ right before or after her visit to Astra.”_

“I love you, baby girl,” breathed Derek. “And...”

 _“Patience is a virtue,”_ muttered Garcia. _“Ah, so she actually texted a number during her stay at Astra as well as called that very same number just after Lucifer kicked her out.”_

“And?”

_“Ha! The phone is registered to a William Kinley. Damn, the Vatican must pay well, because I’d like to have that subscription. It includes calls abroad, and he’s using this part of the subscription, regularly calling a number with the dialing code +379 and that’s-“_

“Vatican City,” said Reid.

“You’re the best,” grinned Derek. “Make sure to forward this to Hotch, Emily and JJ. We now have probable cause. Okay, we’ve got to hang up because we’re at the club.”

 _“You two, stay safe,”_ was her only response.

Derek turned off the siren and they exited the car. They could see a string of people either leaving or already dispersing from the club. A young couple approached them instantly.

“You with the police?” asked the tall, blond man, his arm around his partner. “Is Lucifer okay? We’ve been regulars in his club pretty much since the day it opened. This is the first time he closed the club early and he looked rattled.”

“And sounded uncommonly final,” said his partner, almost a foot shorter. “It sounded like a goodbye. A regular night at Astra cut short shouldn’t be his goodbye. Is he leaving? Why is he leaving? Is he in danger?”

“Gentlemen, please,” said Derek calmly. “I’m sure that Lucifer appreciates your concern, but at the moment, we cannot give you any information.” Mostly because they would not believe half of the explanations they had to give, however true they were.

“We’re his colleagues,” said Reid. “We’re checking in on him now. Why don’t you go home or to another location of your choice?”

“Strangely enough, we’re going to church,” chuckled the shorter man, amused. “Haven’t gone to one of those in a while, but Frank is opening up _Saint Mary’s Chapel_. They’re doing a sponteanous late-night, music-heavy, secular sermon, held by their pastor, Joseph Butler. Lucifer’s wife’s singing, Frank’s playing, and the choir will be performing as well. I’m honestly curious. Most of us are heading there. It starts at midnight.”

Derek grinned, “Okay, you go have fun. We’re taking care of this.”

“You make sure he’s safe, okay?” asked the man’s partner, serious, which sobbered him up in turn.

“We will.”

“That answers the question whether Candy’s still here,” said Reid as they made their way to the club. Seth probably overheard this comment because he joined their side and said, “Yeah. When Lucifer called her, she helped clearing the second floor and brought them to the chapel. They will be housed with members of the church for tonight. Lucifer sent his security over there, too, just in case we’re needed. Heading over there, too. Murad wasn’t too keen on going there.”

“Go ahead,” said Derek, clapped the other man’s back before he went inside. The club was quiet. The only people remaining were Lucifer himself, Dromos, Rossi and a recently arrived Hotch. They all stood by the bar.

“Did you bag the evidence?” asked Derek automatically as a strange way of greeting, pointing at the bar.

“Of course,” was Rossi’s reply. Derek knew him well enough to know that he was both irritated and ashamed for not having noticed Decker’s intention. “It’s in Hotch’s car.”

“How are you?” asked Reid, his question aimed at Lucifer.

“Perfectly fine,” said Lucifer gently, but Derek knew his devil. He was pissed on a level that they had not seen before. His eyes were not a smoldering red, but his normally dark-brown eyes appeared black in the dim light of the club. “No Earth-made poison can touch me and Amenadiel used the Bottled Time trick a couple of centuries ago. Even before my energy levels were as high as they are now, I would have been able to use Hellfire to burn it out in second, but it only took me an instant because I simply…” His eyes flicked around and he smiled, “Never mind that.”

“I want to know what fool decided to poison you,” growled Dromos.

“Dromos…” sighed Lucifer.

“They will pay,” vowed the demon. “I will-“

“Dromos,” said Rossi, putting a hand on his arm, “please meet Dr. Spencer Reid, yet another member of our team.”

Dromos’ expression instantly softened, “It is my pleasure and an honor to finally meet you, Dr. Reid.” He looked him up and down. “You are very young.”

“Aren’t we all, compared to you?” retorted Reid, half-curious, half-annoyed.

“Certainly, but you are young at heart and soul, despite hardship,” said Dromos, and Derek wondered how he did that. The demon’s knowing eyes landed on him, “Not unlike your brother.”

Reid turned his head to look at Derek, frowning. He was obviously thinking of that time he had told Reid of being bullied in high school, which had been mild in comparison to what happened to the Kid during his hellish time in school. Derek knew better, though, and he was not sure how he it made him feel that both the devil and a demon had been able to look right through him from the very start, recognizing the secrets of his childhood without him ever saying a word (well, he had told Lucifer, but only after it became clear he already _knew_ ).

“Lucifer, your patrons have either left, gone home, or went to _Saint Mary’s Chapel_ together with your guests from the second floor and Candy. Your security detail is also there in order to make sure your guests are safe from very human dangers,” summarized Hotch, effortlessly bringing everyone up to speed. At Dromos’ inquiring look, he continued. “Lucifer harbors guest who have been hurt by their loved ones, often-times abusive partners, but also their own family. He offers them shelter and help.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” asked Dromos, confused. “Lucifer knows that pain from personal experience and from us.”

“You?” repeated Derek curiously, though they really did not have time for this.

“Lilith spawned us. She is our mother, but she’s not kind,” was the blunt reply. “When Lucifer found out, he made sure she never came near us ever again. She’s still in Hell, but encapsulated from where she cannot escape. A cave resembling an inescapable labyrinth from which only a Celestial can escape.” He looked at Lucifer like his own personal hero, and Derek had to smile.

“She sounds to me like she’s Echidna from Greek Mythology.”

Dromos shuddered, “She dislikes that name.”

“Back to the situation at hand,” continued Hotch. “Emily and JJ have now the right to arrest Father Kinley, but we’re not going to just now, as per Lucifer’s request. They will, however, retrieve Mazikeen.”

“If she hasn’t been captured by my siblings already,” muttered Lucifer. His entire stature was ramrod-straight, with only his head titled slightly forward. There was an otherworldly air to him, and Derek felt incredibly safe. It was good seeing him angry like this. Usually, he was just sad when it came to his siblings shunning him.

“No harm has come to her, my lord,” was Dromos soothing reply. This sounded like he _knew,_ possibly due to some connection between the two.

Lucifer looked at Dromos, “As much as I appreciate the pep talk, you cannot say for sure.”

“Mazikeen is not affected by your brother’s power,” said Dromos.

“Not quite true. Amenadiel just likes to fight, and he loves fighting her,” said Lucifer with a less than pleased smile. “If he wanted, he could freeze her in time at will. There are archangels out and about, and there is little I can do to protect you. You must therefore adhere to all the rules, as not to give them a reason to punish you. In turn, they can break whichever they like.” He scoffed, “I mean, who’s going to stop them? Mum? In Hell, where she belongs. Dad?” his smile was cruel. “Hasn’t really been around. Michael? Please.” He chuckled coldly. “Michael’s only concern is Heaven. Earth never held any interest to him. Mortality is a weakness he very much despises.”

“What do we do next?” asked Reid.

Lucifer did not answer. He put his phone to his ear.

 _“Prentiss,”_ they heard Emily’s voice through speaker.

“Agent Prentiss, where are you?”

 _“On our way to Quantico,”_ they heard JJ’s voice. _“Finishing up our report about the Hohenwald case.”_

Confused, Derek frowned, an expression mirrored by the human members of our team. Lucifer and Dromos closed their eyes, “I’m taking Mazikeen isn’t with you.”

 _“Isn’t she in LA?”_ asked Prentiss. _“Am I forgetting something? I feel like I’m forgetting something… Lucifer, I did something stupid, didn’t I?”_

“Agent Prentiss,” said Lucifer, very gently. “You did not. Please, go to Quantico, then go home and get some rest.”

 _“Okay,”_ said Emily. _“I feel strange.”_

“That’s to be expected. Get some rest.” With that, Lucifer hung up the phone.

“What happened?” asked Rossi, alarmed.

“They’re fine. The Keeper of Secrets has joined the group seeking my banishment from Earth.”

“Raziel?” asked Reid. “He’s an archangel in Judaic belief.” That statement was aimed Rossi, Derek and Hotch in case they did not know. Derek had not.

“Yes, well, they’ve been around for a while, and they’ve been tasked to make sure that Celestial secrets don’t spread,” said Lucifer. “However, Raziel’s bound to Earth, and therefore an angel.”

“Are you telling us that some angel just _flashy-thinged_ Emily and JJ?” asked Derek incredulously.

“Yes,” agreed Lucifer with a smile that was grim yet showed amusement and appreciation for the movie reference. “It doesn’t hurt and Raziel’s obviously just altered the memory of the last couple of hours. They can be very precise about the things they remove or change. Technically, although it would take a great deal of effort and Dad’s command, they could remove all knowledge that you ever knew me.”

“There are many records of your existence here on Earth.”

“ _1984_ has got nothing on Raziel, Agent Rossi. You would remember working with a Lucifer Morningstar, an eccentric owner of a club in DC, who had grown up in a cult, but who returned to said cult tonight – or whatever Raziel would use to make it seem plausible… You wouldn’t even notice it. You better believe that the truly impressive background you created for me would be used to ease their task.”

“That’s terrifying,” whispered Reid.

“Don’t worry,” smiled Lucifer, “there’s a cure for that, though it leads to disorientation, especially if Raziel was being thorough.”

“What cure?”

“Me. Well, the Lightbringer.”

“A moment’s clarity,” breathed Reid.

“Or permanent clarity, if Celestial intervention muddied the waters,” smiled Lucifer.

“Then why didn’t you tell them to come here?” asked Reid.

“Because they were told to go to Quantico and Quantico is where they’re headed,” said Lucifer.

“Are they in danger?” asked Derek forcibly.

“Not at all, less so than you are, actually,” said Lucifer, smile disappearing quickly. “They’ve got Maze and they’ll be here momentarily. You should go.”

“We will be monitoring from Quantico,” said Hotch.

“Thank you, Agent Hotchner, for everything, I-“ he stopped and sighed. “I hope to see you tomorrow.”

Derek felt awful. He hated goodbyes, he always had, and here, he really did not want it to be. He put his right hand on Lucifer’s neck who instantly connected foreheads, eyes closed. “Take care,” said Derek.

Reid was even worse than he was at goodbyes and just shook his head, refusing to say anything to the devil who looked heartbroken in return, “It’s not my choice.”

“You could sound less like you just gave up,” muttered Reid angrily.

Lucifer’s chuckle was bitter, “If you want Earth to remain as is, you better pray I’m not planning to fight too much.” He typed a number into his phone and brought it to his ear.

“Hey, Jana, I’m sure you’ll get this message after you landed. My siblings have decided that my vacation has gone on long enough, and while I have no intention of leaving, they usually get what they want. Therefore, I just wanted to tell you…” He stopped speaking, his eyes fixed on nothing in particulary while he was searching for words. “Thank you for your kindness. It was a pleasure, both physically and emotionally.” He hung up and looked like he was in pain. Derek had never been too fond of angels, but his anger was now so profound that it bordered on hatred.

The devil typed in another number and seemed to wait for the answering machine. He looked genuinely surprised when he heard a voice on the other end.

“Don’t you ever turn off your phone?” asked Lucifer, smiling while listening to the response. “Well, unlike you, I don’t need sleep and I sound much more coherent when I respond to a call.” A pause. “Are you well?” Whatever Ryan – it had to be Ryan – said in return caused Lucifer to chuckle, “Apologies. I just wanted to say… thank you.” He frowned, “No, I’m not dying. I’m immortal. Anyway,” he continued, “there’s a distinct chance that we won’t see each other anymore, so I simply wanted to thank you.” Another pause. “Among others, yes… Ryan, there’s nothing you can do. Stop. I can hear you get dressed, please, stay.” He closed his eyes. “Then go to Quantico… or Saint Mary’s Chapel, whichever you prefer. The BAU might be glad for your help. Or Frank and Candy, they’re entertaining my guests. Just don’t sing, please, I wouldn’t wish to torture them. They haven’t done anything deserving of punishment.” He chuckled. “I protest. I think I’m very funny. Thank you, take care and don’t come to Astra.” He smiled and said softly, “You’re one of my favorite people, too.” With that, he hung up the phone, looking tired for the first time. “Here, they are…”

As if on cue, they suddenly were not alone anymore.

There were seven of them, and Derek had been fully aware that the human forms of angels were entirely arbitrary and represented all ethnicities and races; still, the dark-skinned angel was a surprise. He was bald, his expression grave, and he stood in the center. This had to be Amenadiel. Next to him was a pale, male angel with black hair lazed with gray streaks. The looks of the others were a wide range, each almost representing the ethnic majority from each continent. They were still as statues and Derek’s instincts went haywire, but he had now been friends with the devil for a year. He would not be intimidated by these angels.

“Dr. Canaan?” asked Rossi, sounding both shocked and furious.

“Lucifer, get the humans out of here.”

“Only if you do the same with yours,” was Lucifer’s light response and Derek frowned because they were the only humans in the room. Then he took in the scene in front of him, “Bringing children into this, really, Amenadiel?” asked Lucifer, disgusted.

“We are not children,” hissed one of the angels in the back. He had similarities to Raphael as far as his looks were concerned, but where Raphael’s skin was just slightly on the inhumanly golden side, this angel looked more human.

“I distinctly remember singing to you the name of every star in the universe while you were just a babe on my lap, Israfel,” said Lucifer bitterly. “Deal with it. I have it from good authority that older brothers never stop viewing their baby siblings as children.”

“You are no brother of mine. You are dead to me.”

“A bit chatty, for a dead man walking, wouldn't you say?” said Lucifer. “If I'm dead to you, why are you here?”

“It is time for you to return from whence you came,” crackled another. Derek grimaced; the voice sounded like shattered glass chafing against metal. He heard Reid wince next to him.

“’From whence,’ Uriel?” laughed Lucifer. “You should visit Earth more often, little brother. Nobody uses that terminology outside of Medieval Fairs and Shakespeare plays. And where do you know my brother from, Agent Rossi?”

“In the beginning, I had… doubts, and I sought out Father Jim Davison for some guidance,” he looked utterly ashamed admitting that. “I’m sorry, Lucifer, I-“

“No need,” was the gentle reply. “Absolutely understandable. I expected you to.”

“Anyway, Jimmy wasn’t there and instead, I met… You _lied_ to me,” said Rossi, utterly appalled as he stared at Amenadiel.

The angel in turn was not at all perturbed by this and did not even bother to repond and instead, he looked at Rossi with what could only be called a haughty expression, “Leave.”

“Where’s Maze?”

“With three of our siblings,” said Amenadiel.

A smirk was Lucifer’s immediate reaction to that statement, “You sure about that?”

She was pretty banged up and Derek wondered what the hell they had done to her as she limped in. Despite her obvious impediment, her steps were remarkbly elegant and sure.

“Dragon-scale?” asked Lucifer.

“Hellfire-dagger,” was her reply. “No worries, I only pricked them a little. They’ll heal. In a century or so.”

“Well done.”

“She attacked your brothers and sisters.”

“I’m sorry, didn’t you just say that we were’t related? Mazikeen has been by my side for longer than the little ones are even _alive_ and, considering how time works in Hell, she’s more family than all of you combined,” was Lucifer’s less than kind reply.

“Please, they’ll stab you in the back before you know it,” was Amenadiel’s dismissive reply. The devil’s response to that was genuine laughter.

“Seriously? _You_ talking about back-stabbing? There’s no pot black enough for that. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’re using the kids again.” His grin was dangerous and reminded of bared teeth more than a smile.

“You don’t know the kind of sacrifices I am willing to make for my lord. Don’t insult me by thinking you do,” growled Dromos.

“True,” Lucifer chimed in with false cheerfulness. “He flew coach from Dublin to LAX. If that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.”

“I assure you, Lucifer, no coaches were involved,” said Dromos. “And I would do it again.”

“Actually, flying coach means that you did not fly Business class-“

“ _Enough!”_ shouted Amenadiel causing all the humans in the room to flinch. Something in that tone was otherwordly and did not bode well for disobedience. “Humans, get out.”

“Yes, yes, I think so,” said Lucifer, “please take the priests with you. I’m assuming they performed a banishing circle strengthened and blessed by Heaven?” He turned to Maze.

Maze nodded, “Hurts like a son of a bitch, too.”

“There’s no need for the humans to leave,” said Uriel, smiling. He was by Lucifer’s piano, his fingers caressing the keys. “Or for any physical fight. Amenadiel, please calm down. Lucifer, there’s two ways this will go. Either, you return to Hell or I will press this key, and this will set off a cascade of events-“

“Butterfly-hurricane, blah, blah, blah. What’s the hurricane?” said Lucifer and there was fear in his voice despite the forced lightness in his tone.

“All these people in that chapel… What’s its name again? Your wife, that other friend you cherish so much, his daughter. I think she’s sleeping at the back of the church where a wayward truck will crash through the walls. After all, the chapel is only made of wood, the truck will tear the walls down in seconds crushing the girl and some bystanders.”

“This is murder!” hissed Derek, his phone in hand calling Frank, but before he could press a single button, it flung out his hands, shattering on the ground. “Great, which one of you can do telekinesis? You owe me a phone.” With his outrage, he hoped to distract from Reid who appeared to be typing a message in his pocket.

“Uriel-“ began Lucifer, his eyes wide. “Don’t.”

“All you have to do, is grab your two little demons, and leave. Nothing will happen to anyone if you obey.”

“Why?”

“Because if you don’t return where you belong, Mother will find a way through the Gates.” The archangel shuddered while mentioning his mother. Once again, Derek learned that if there was one creature feared by Celestials, it was their own mother.

Not that he was surprised, but still… Perhaps older sister. Sarah _was_ terrifying. If she had the power to destroy the universe, then… Yes, he got it.

“She won’t. She has no power there and not even Lilith is suicidal enough to go near her cell, even if she could. What are the patterns telling you?”

“That chaos and darkness will spring forth if you remain here.”

“And what made you think that this concerned Mum? I’m guarding many things. If it really worries you that much, I’ll double-check, but I refuse to stay there.”

“You have no choice. That is the place where Father banished you,” said one of the angels Derek did not know by name.

“Well,” said Lucifer curtly, “if he wants me back, I cannot really stop him from doing so, now, can I? But he hasn’t really said anything against my presence here. In fact, I’m almost entirely sure that he approves of it.”

“You lie,” said Israfel venomously.

“ _I don’t lie!”_ screamed Lucifer, furious. “Don’t you dare call me a liar!”

Eyes fleshed red.

“Fine,” said Uriel and to Derek’s horror, his finger pressed the key without hesitation. Reid’s hand and phone flew to his ear. Panicked, he shouted, “Frank, get Michelle away from there!” Now, his phone too, was ripped from his fingera only to shatter on the ground, but again, Derek could not discern the source. Did one of these angels command the winds? Lucifer had once said that each angel possessed a domain, an expertise only equalled or surpassed by God himself. God commanded the winds…Psalm 104:something… he was not Reid and there was no time for this crap.

He rushed to the door.

“Too late,” was all Uriel said, his vitreous voice offending Derek’s ears.

“Is he now?” asked Lucifer coldly. “Perhaps you should take another look.” He approached the piano with a dark smile, his eyes burning like fire.

Uriel’s gaze appeared to be focused on nothing in particular before he frowned, “What…?” Before he could say anything, Lucifer grabbed him and flung him across the room, only to be caught by Amenadiel. The devil quickly advanced standing between the angels and the humans.

“You _dare_ come into _my_ home and use _my_ music to murder _my_ friends?” His human skin seemed to burn away leaving only red, burned flesh. Several of the siblings recoiled in the face of their brother’s ruined body. “Now let me tell _you_ something, little brother…” He grinned widely, “I’m still weak, but chaos is coursing through my veins again for Life in unpredictable. _Who am I?_ ”

Derek could not see him, he only saw the back of his hairless, burned head, but he saw the reaction of the angels. For the first time since Derek had seen him, Uriel looked surprised, rattled and afraid.

“The _Lightbringer._ I cannot read your pattern. _”_ It sounded like a fearful realization.

“Get out of my club or face the consequences,” growled Lucifer.

“I think that’s our cue to leave,” said Rossi, grabbed Derek’s arm and they all but ran out almost crashing together with several priests eagerly waiting at the entrance.

“Are you kidding me?” hissed Derek, angrily. He could not stand priests, but this was ridiculous; how were they arrogant enough to believe that they would tip the powerbalance between the devil and Heaven’s Host? However, it was the person next to these men that truly enraged him.

“What the hell's wrong with you lady?” hissed Derek. “What has Lucifer ever done to you?”

“You don't understand,” exclaimed Decker, her eyes wide and both strangely panicked yet firm. It would be impressive, her steadiness if its consequences had not harmed them. “You don't know. I never believed in any of that stuff. This was all just a big hoax to guilt a society into good behavior. And now... I-whenever I close my eyes, I see him. He's ever-present. I can't sleep. He must be doing this. Toying with me.”

“So, you were a life-long atheist, took one peak at something you cannot explain and you picked up a torch to deal with it?” asked Derek incredulously. “Rossi's a lifelong Catholic. Emily's still scarred from her experiences. Who the hell knows how Hotch grew up, but only Reid and Lucifer might be able to outquote him when it comes to Scripture. Reid was either agnostic or an atheist, too, damn it all, and his first response wasn't a Monty Pythonesque ‘burn the witch.’ Come on! What has Lucifer ever done to make you hate him? You accused him of rape the very first time you heard of him, and he hasn't even held it against you since.”

“Morgan,” said Hotch, pulling him back and only then did he notice that he had advanced her. His unit chief did not have to say anything else. The calm, even tone removed a lot of his anger. “Now, gentlemen, Ms. Decker, on behalf of Mr. Morningstar, I am asking you to leave his property.”

“Detective,” corrected Decker sharply and Derek never had the urge to hit a woman, but right here and then, it took more self-control than it should not to slap her across the face.

“Not here in DC, you aren’t,” was Hotch’s steadfast reply. “You either leave these premises now or I will call local authoritieis, with whom, I might mention, my team is on excellent terms.” He paused for a moment, considering. “Actually, I won’t do anything, and let Celestial wrath take care of you. I, for one, am not going to stay here to see just how much of the Old Testament is true.” With that cold statement, he simply walked past the priests and Decker while the rest of the team followed. Derek managed to suppress a grin, but he knew that the deathblow was yet to come, and he would enjoy every moment of it in this grim situation.

“Oh, and, _Detective_ Decker?” said Hotch, turning around. “Make sure you report yourself to the authorities. We’ve just issued warrant.”

“Why?” asked the hopefully-soon-to-be-former detective.

“Possession and distribution of Rohypnol. There’s a video of you putting something into Lucifer’s drink, and there are witnesses.”

It was satisfying to see her blanch.

Good.

Lucifer had trusted her. She deserved to suffer the consequences for fooling the devil.

Once they were all in Hotch’s car where he had left his private phone – thankfully, because all their work phones were shattered pieces of technology on Astra’s floor – and he gave the phone to Reid who called Garcia.

“How’s our boy, baby girl?” asked Derek.

 _“Not too well,”_ said Garcia, sounding worried. _“They’re flinging him around and he doesn’t do much outside of-Ouch!”_

“Baby girl, talk to us,” Derek implored her.

 _“Something’s weird. I think the camera’s are malfunctioning,_ ” said Kevin. “ _Oh da-ahem-Shit, I think. That’s awful.”_

“Focus, Lynch,“ said Rossi. “Garcia, I know this is hard because he’s our friend, but tell us.”

_“Okay, so Uriel has just incapacitated Maze, while Dromos is writhing on the ground from-I don’t know, okay? He’s in pain, and he’s a sweetheart. He shouldn’t-“_

“Garcia! Lucifer, what about him?”

_“He’s getting his ass handed to him by that tall, pompous angel who seems to be the leader. Amenadiel, I think? He can barely get a fist in. He blocks some of the blows, but-oh, there goes his liquor collection. He loves that damn collection, even the one in the club. Morgan, I’m scared.”_

**“** It’s okay, Baby girl.”

 _“No, it’s not. This is our friend and he’s being beaten up, and for some reason, he doesn’t do much.”_ She sounded upset and Derek wanted to reach through the phone to hug her.

Reid looked thoughtful,” What about the cameras?”

 _“There’s a hitch,”_ said Kevin, “ _Not sure if it’s the angels messing with them, but, sometimes Lucifer and Amenadiel are at one place, and then suddenly at another. Or Amenadiel suddenly appears behind Lucifer and pounds him in the back. He’s on his knees now, looking really hurt.”_

“Time,” said Reid. “He must be manipulating time.”

“But Lucifer isn’t affected,” frowned Rossi. “He told us. He’s older than that. Amenadiel was told to ‘start’ time after the Lightbringer was born. Why would he let it affect him now?”

“Because he’s not alone,” concluded Reid suddenly, and Derek had no idea what was going on in that gigantic brain of his, but he knew that, whatever it was, it would help them, “Hotch, you need to drive faster.” With that he folded his hands into a by now perfectly comfortable prayer position.

Hotch did not even question the request and stepped his foot down on the gas.

“Reid, talk to us,” said Derek.

“Time’s relative and Amenadiel’s the center,” explained their genius quickly. “There’s a possibility he’s affecting more than Lucifer’s immediate surroundings. We need to gain distance between them and us, so that our prayers will filter through.”

“That makes no sense,” Derek protested. “He said that the closer we are to Amenadiel, the more powerful is his interference with time, but why don’t Garcia and Kevin sound like some cartoon character that inhaled helium or like some fake demon-voice?”

“This must be far too gradual for humans to pick up. Amenadiel is older than physical matter in the universe. Do you really think we’d notice if he was manipulating time?” countered Reid sharply, impatiently, like he did when he knew he had the answer, and they were just too slow on catching up with him.

“Point taken,” conceded Derek, “so, what’s on your mind, Kid?”

“Lucifer’s not going to fight Amenadiel. Not on Earth. He’s got to take the fight elsewhere or he’ll wind up in Hell and this time, I’m pretty sure his siblings will make sure he stays there.”

“If they can,” said Rossi. “Okay, good thinking, Reid. Now, the plan: Aaron, pump on the gas. Fastest way out of the city. Reid, you pray to Lucifer, keep the message short and clear, repeated it constantly, we have to assume that this time bubble affects the delivery of the message. Morgan, you pray to Raphael. He’s got to hear about this. Garcia, keep us posted. Make sure this footage is saved and kept from prying eyes.”

“And you?” asked Derek as he watched Reid and Hotch following these orders without hesitation. His back pressed against his seat from the accelaration. The blaring sirene was a familiar, almost calming background noise.

“Texting Maze to tell her about our plans and to get out of there. If Lucifer manages to grab Amenadiel, Dromos and Maze need to be elsewhere. I wouldn’t want them near murderous angels.”

They all agreed and got to work.

_“Raphael, I don’t know if you know. Hell, I don’t even know whose side you’re on, but Amenadiel and Uriel are currently beating the crap out of Lucifer, and a couple of other angels are cheering them on. Look, I know this is dangerous and I know this isn’t easy for you, but your brother needs you. Please, help. Please.”_

He repeated these words a countless number of time until Garcia called them again.

_“Raphael’s in the house! He’s just told off Uriel like a damn boss. Hell, yeah! I’ll save that tape and play it to you. With popcorn. He’s now healing Maze and Dromos.”_

“What about the other siblings?”

_“Three of them left immediately. You should have seen him! Lucifer can sound angry, but this was pure celestial wrath. The rest are trying to appease him. Uriel looks chastised now.”_

He could not wait to watch the tape then, “What about Lucifer?”

_“Gone.”_

“What do you mean by gone?”

_“As in: a moment before Raphael appeared, he grabbed Amenadiel’s sleeve and they were gone.”_

“He must have heard you, then,” said Rossi to Reid.

“I hope so,” said the youngest member of the BAU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops :) Another cliffhanger :) The showdown has three parts, I'm afraid...
> 
> Additional note:  
> \- Reference to Man in Black was sprinkled in (flashy-thinged)
> 
> And: 
> 
> One of my favorite quotes from the show was paraphrased in this chapter: 
> 
> Lucifer to Carmen in Season One, when he retrieved his wings: "Oh, I understand perfectly. A life-long atheist who took one peak at the wings and something changed in you. The great white Light was revealed and a believer was born.“
> 
> I just realized that this could easily be translated into Season 4 Chloe and the Chloe in my series. And yeah, I put Lucifer’s words into Derek’s mouth...


	13. Brother Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amenadiel and Lucifer need to _talk_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out much more introspective and less action-packed than originally intended. Hope you'll still like it.
> 
> Apologies for the delay and thanks for all the well-wishes; I passed my exam :)
> 
> I hope we're back on a "update-every-two-weeks" schedule, but this chapter was hard and I was distracted.
> 
> Next chapter: Thy Will Be Done.
> 
> CAVE: Spoiler Warning in the Chapter End Notes.

Wherever Lucifer had brought him, it was so bright that he could not open his eyes. He was also disoriented because there was no up or down, no point of orientation. Worse, the location was completely void of anything that even resembled gravitational radiation. Even in the furthest corners of the universe, there was always the calming hum of gravitational forces, the sister of Time. It was his comfort, his lullaby, and now, it was gone, completely. This place was devoid if it. The last time he had lost his comfort of gravity was they had fought…

“Bad memories, Brother?”

Amenadiel had known that Lucifer was there, but he still could not see him. Fighting disorientation, he lifted his fists to prepare for the blow, but all he heard in return, was amused laughter.

“Not what I had in mind, Amenadiel,” said he. “You’ve used every trick up your sleeve. You used your domain to fight me, you brought in the kids, you picked a fight on the human plane knowing full well I couldn’t do more than block you. It’s my turn now.”

Nothing happened. Amenadiel did not dare move. He might as well be completely blind.

“Do you like it?” sounded his brother’s voice from nowhere in particular. “Four billion years of practically free reign, exploring the branches of Yggdrasil, meeting and befriending all these new beings created from the energy released while fighting Darkness-”

“The abominations-” interrupted Amenadiel, but he halted when a defeaning sound warned him to remain silent.

“They were _beings_. Not Celestials, true, but they lived and breathed and deserved your respect. Stop using Mum’s words. I would have thought you stopped doing that when you carried her down to Hell.” He still could not pinpoint Lucifer, but then he could barely open his eyes as it was.

“That doesn’t mean she was wrong about the ones daring to call themselves ‘gods,’” he spat in response. These creatures were lazed with chaos and darkness, but Lucifer had seen Light in them, and pounced them liked a cat the canary – not quite the correct metaphor, but he had definitely pounced; he had genuinely enjoyed these new lifeforms, and Amenadiel would never understand why. They had been born of Chaos, Darkness and Light and their character entirely depended on how much of which they had received. But then Lucifer was tickled by chaos and whenever he encountered darkness as a young angel, he had wanted to lighten it up. His years in Hell had thankfully changed that, but he still refused to see the creatures born from the First War for what they were: ungodly. Lucifer would always say that he judged them by their actions, and ignored what they were destined to do. So much evil could have been avoided if Celestial Justice had simply struck them down preventing them from spreading across the planes created by the sprouting Tree. He understood even less how Father had let them step foot onto Earth, how he allowed the early humans to worship them as gods.

It was blasphemy.

But then, this was all Lucifer’s fault. He had spent years with the creatures, telling them about Earth, even though he barely stepped a foot onto it until the Third Reign and that had been a mess for itself. Father had just let it happen, let Lucifer play with life, letting him get away with his foolishness with less than a half-hearted slap on the wrist, but then, Lucifer had always been Dad’s favorite.

And he had the gall to complain about his fate!

Hell was supposed to be _his_.

Michael and Mother had made Heaven; it was only fair that they would rule their home, but Amenadiel was supposed to have Hell. At the time, it had not looked much different from Heaven, really. Different side of the same coin. A barren land contrasting Everworld, the place where the grass was always green and food aplenty, but he could have shaped the wasteland to his will; he could have formed a bubble of Time around the places of punishment making sure the failing souls never hurt anyone ever again and were punished for their crimes. He could have shown once and for all that he was the Firstborn and more than worthy of their father’s respect. But Father had denied him.

_“No, Amenadiel. To be a fair ruler, a fair king, you must learn to be just; stern yet kind.”_

Justice.

Amenadiel scoffed.

Years before the Fall, years before Father and Lucifer fought over some dead, overgrown lizards that Lucifer had created without their father’s consent, Father had already alluded that Hell was meant as a gift for Lucifer. It made him sick to his stomach.

Why was it always Lucifer?

_What a beautiful star Samael made._

_He calls it a melody. A stunning creation._

_Without Samael, we would have lost the war against Darkness. Only Light can prevail in the Dark._

_They are quite amazing beings, these dragons, if only he had come to me with his ideas._

Father had always favored Lucifer. Michael had been Mother’s favorite.

Not Amenadiel, though.

He had alwas been loyal to Father, he had followed all of his rules, was always the good son, but Father had never looked at him the way he had looked at Lucifer.

“Earth to Amenadiel,” sing-songed Lucifer. Amenadiel opened his eyes only to close them again because it was too bright to bear. “Well, not Earth, but you catch my drift.”

“Where are we?”

“Well, I had to go somewhere with all that energy born from the War. Yggdrasil’s unexpected growth left us with quite a bit of a puzzle, Dad and I, with all the baby gods unsure about what happened to them, and how they came to be. I had to make some room for them, but the rules of the physical universe did not apply here, and I had to invent some of my own. This here, this was where I stored some of the Light that I plucked from the universere before I moved it to the places that needed it, but like with the physical universe, there was leftover. So I made this. I figured to go with ‘an eye for an eye’ today.”

“What are you babbling about?” asked Amenadiel, now irritated.

“You bottled time to trap me… again. This is concentrated Light, very concentrated Light. Can you feel it Amenadiel? Divine Light has this tendency to Light up dark places. Have your thoughts been dark of late, Brother?”

Amenadiel reeled back, but there was nothing to reel back to.

“Oh, relax,” was the annoyed reply. “When have I ever messed with anyone’s free will? You truly think I’m evil, don’t you?” The question was posed softly, hurt.

He had to be. Father would not have struck him down so severely otherwise. Lucifer may have been Heaven’s Justice and later became the keeper of wicked souls thus becoming wicked himself, but they were all but servants to the Heavenly Father. He did nothing without reason; he had to have seen the dark, evil soul that Lucifer would become, corrupted by the darkness surrounding him.

“What do you want me to say, Brother?” asked Amenadiel, irritated. “We are who we are and you chose to become a mockery of everything divine. No number of humans who stroke your ego will ever rectify that.” It was galling to see all these humans willingly standing up against Heaven’s Host in their readiness to protect the devil.

“You’re not jealous, are you?” said Lucifer, his tone unreadable and Amenadiel wished he could see him to gauge his reaction. “Mighty Amenadiel,” scoffed his baby brother derisively, “most ancient of all angels. Are you jealous of the lowly devil because he’s being prayed to by a handful of humans? Are you kidding me?”

“Silence!” commanded Amenadiel angrily.

“No, I’m sorry, but this is taking the cake,” with every word he spoke, Lucifer became more agitated and the Light around them started to burn. “You are soaking in our siblings’ prayers, but you begrudge the few mortal friends that are kind enough to think of me sometimes? Has it finally, in your infinite wisdom,” venom was dripping from every syllable, “dawned on you that humans won’t even remember you?”

“You better be silent, little brother, or I-“

“What?” was the mocking reply, but the fury beneath was unmistakable, “You’re crying about humanity’s ignorance of you, but not only did the lot of you let me Fall, you cut me off! You pretended I did not exist and I remember the silence that followed! Because I. Do. Not. Forget.” the entire plane seemed to burst into searing white flames and Amenadiel drew further back into nothingness. His skin burned from the heat. “As if that weren’t enough, you used me as a deterrent for the little ones… ‘Children, behave or you’ll become Lucifer, the Evil One, and you’ll suffer as he did!’ You vilified me. You despise me when all I ever wanted was some freedom over our own fate. None of them even blink when you call me evil, but you get angry when I tell you that humanity couldn’t care less you? You who despise them almost as much as Mum despises them, almost as much as you despise me? Well, damn you! Damn all of you.”

Amenadiel flinched. There were moments when Lucifer channeled Father so flawlessly it made the Archangel of Time think that, just like Father, Lucifer’s words had a direct impact on the universe. Not that the other archangels did not have some power to shape the universe to a certain extent, but none of them had the power to shape it as Father did, not even Mother.

A roar echoed through the plane and it seemed like all the Light was sucked from it, revealing not actual ground but at least something that abided by the laws of Time and Gravity long enough for Amenadiel to reassert control. He readied himself for the fight, but before he could even think of defending himself, a fist fueled with the Light that had permeated every corner of this place struck him down.

Again and again, every blow a reflection of what he himself bestowed on Lucifer on the earthly plane, hitting precisely where he had hit, with the exact same strength behind the blow that he had used. He had no chance of more than half-hazardly blocking them: like Lucifer had been powerless to do anything on Earth without destroying it, Amenadiel was unable to stop the blows here the plane created by Lucifer.

It scared him and it made him wonder.

If Lucifer truly were evil, why would he restrain himself? Amenadiel had thought first that it was a lack of power, that Dad had ripped the Lightbringer from him forever, but this was obviously not the case. Why had he not used the Light here to heal himself, to storm Heaven and destroy everything they had fought so hard to build? Why did he not use the power he now possessed to utterly destroy him?

A brother killing a brother.

It would be oddly poetic and biblical, like Abimelech, son of Gideon, or like in that story humans made up and put among Celestial Rules because, unlike Ameandiel, they had no idea about the progress of time. Even the human scientists who had termed this process of constant change _evolution,_ had no idea of the true scale, the swiftness yet unbelievably slow way with which Time progressed.

“Where’s your head, Brother?” asked Lucifer cheerfully before nearly knocking him unconscious, like Amaneadiel had, a human lifetime ago, in Astra. He assumed. Time had no power here. While Lucifer spoke, he released the Light back onto the plane, and Amenadiel felt again this uncomfortable feeling of disorientation.

“Why didn’t you keep the Light to yourself? Why didn’t you use it to feed yourself?”

All the Light stored here, it contained enough energy to destroy the physical universe, Amenadiel knew that much.

A part of him already knew what the answer would be. The part of him that was merely annoyed at Lucifer’s irresponsibility, the part that dreaded becoming the Lord of Hell himself now that Lucifer had left, the part that manipulated his own siblings into believing that their brother was a vile monster.

Another part of him of him needed to know: the part that could not accept that Father had been so wrong about Lucifer.

“Oh, now you admit that cutting someone off the prayer cycle has dire consequences of the ‘being starved’ variety,” snapped his little brother, his expression contorting into a grimace of fury.

“Lucifer.”

“I’m sure most of our siblings would tell you that I’m storing this extra-energy and bide my time in the shadows, so that I can kill Dad when he least expects it,” sneered the devil coldly. “After all, he’d never see it coming… or so they’d say.”

Samael was made in the image of God. While being made in His image did not make the devil omnipotent or omniscient like Father, it gave him the distinct advantage of being a drop in the sea that was God; the sea could not discern one drop from another rendering Father blind to Lucifer’s thoughts. Amenadiel did not have this advantage. He was the _Perfect Blend_ , made equally of Father and Mother, while Michael, he was all their mother and thus Lucifer’s counterpart in many ways. To this day, Amenadiel wondered where Raguel had come from; she was neither. Neither Mother nor Father were chaos, were this untamed. Sometimes, her energy reminded him of Father, but never of Mother.

This was irrelevant in this moment.

Just like the vicious look Mother used to give Raguel when she thought nobody was looking. It did not matter because both were out of reach. What mattered right now was Lucifer’s answer.

“Brother…”

“Why do you think?” barked Lucifer angrily. “We didn’t defeat _them_ ; they simply didn’t manage to kill us. There’s a difference, brother dearest. And that was a time when we were all there to fight them and Mum was able to stabilize the universe from within. Raguel… If they’re smart, and you know some of them are, they’ll take her out first and then who’s going to balance Dad out, to balance me out? I’m the Lightbringer and Raguel is the other side of the same coin, giving energy for me to use. And even if they don’t and Raguel’s there… Who’ll be the center to balance out _Dad?_ Mum’s gone, I’m depowered and the universe continues to expand… We’re vulnerable.”

Anger, hot and righteous coursed through Amenadiel dispelling any doubts that had been sneaking up on him, “And whose fault is that?”

“I’d rather say it’s the fault of the _One_ who decided to burn his own son to a crisp and sent his wife to a hellish prison,” was the venomous reply.

Amenadiel struck out, but Lucifer blocked and hit him right back, nearly breaking his jaw in the process. Disoriented, the Light again hindering his reflexes and sense of orientation. Still, he was angry enough to speak, “If you hadn’t provoked him…”

“I was a kid!” shouted Lucifer. “The human equivalent of a dumb near-adult teenager, barely of age but thinking I knew everything. Dad _destroyed_ me for asking a question, for demanding the same freedom he gave to a bunch of mortals I didn’t care for, after he commanded me to destroy my own creations.”

“Which you shouldn’t have made in the first place,” countered Amenadiel. “It was but by our father’s Grace you were allowed to keep them for as long as you could-“

For the first time, the blow that came was not an echo of Amenadiel’s own actions. It was wrath personified, the Wrath of the Devil.

It hurt.

Every word was followed by a blow and ended with a roar, “Shut. Up! You. Don’t. Get. It. _You never have._ Go to Hell.” The last strike caved in his chest.

Or would have if he were human.

If he were still in his human form, he would have lost it, but in here, on this plane, surrounded by Light, he was the Archangel of Time, his wings not physical, or even perceptible by a non-celestial entity, rather scattered across the entire plane, as all-encompassing as the Light. Only, this plane was Lucifer’s, and Time had no power in a non-place that was meant to be timeless. Scattering would endanger Amenadiel rather than help him overcome this. The Light melted away slowly until rock and stone surrounded them, but they were not physical, instead they were an idea of it, not an echo, or an illusion, but a landscape formed by the will of one who lost everything. Ashes filled the air, and Amenadiel was grateful he had no need for lungs because the ashes were more like burning cinder, and breathing would have burned his insides if he were anything but an archangel. Lucifer’s burned form was in front of him, smiling without displaying any level of true mirth.

Amenadiel noticed then that Lucifer had not just reshaped the plane of existence, but melted it away for them both to appear elsewhere. It was a wasteland of molten stone and ash. Where the Light of the previous plane had been dangerous yet comforting, this place was dead, and void of any life.

They were in Hell, and Amenadiel prepared himself to fight.

“Oh please,” chuckled Lucifer, “you’d go down in a heartbeat. This is my kingdom. My word is law. A human soul could take you down if I commanded them to do so.” Amenadiel flung around ready to be pounced any second.

“Relax, brother,” whispered Lucifer again. “Nobody ever comes here. This is the center, the place where it all started. Do you see it?”

He did. They were deep inside of a crater and he recognized the smell of burning flesh. It was like time had come to a stop here. This was where Lucifer had fallen, and he now stood on the charcoaled remains of his baby brother, the place from where the devil had picked himself up to form Hell. A part of Lucifer had been left behind, had died right here, in this hole, or had died as he Fell.

“From the ashes, a phoenix will rise,” said Amenadiel, his voice choking on the terror he felt. He had known the Fall had to hurt, but this? He may not be as quick to change as Lucifer, but he was Time and Gravity, and both had lingered here telling the story of the devil picking himself up after they had let him Fall. He wanted to weep.

“Or a dragon,” countered Lucifer, unaffected and mercilessly. “Maybe omniscience is ours, too, even if it is on a more unconscious level.”

Now that caused Amenadiel to look up, into Lucifer’s red, unreadable eyes. Dragons were Lucifer’s children, and be they made of water, air, earth or fire; they were always born of Light, molten stone and steam, very much like this place. Lucifer had been reborn here, in a place more inhabitable than any planet in the physical universe, no matter how closely their suns’s gravity kept them in orbit, and the birth of dragons was never without danger. Had Lucifer’s known what would happen, however unconsciously?

He was so confused.

“Why did you store the Light and didn’t use it to-“

He stopped abruptly looking around. So much energy was still stored on that plane. Lucifer could have created his own galaxy with it, much brighter and less gloomy than this horrific place.

Lucifer, in turn, shrugged his shoulders.

“I wanted to,” he confessed after a moment of silence. Lucifer detested silences, and this crater was roaring with it. “However, I was too injured to move at first. Eons passed and there was too much to do, souls to punish, and fights between the ancient gods to settle, demons to organize, and I was too busy. Then you delivered Mum to the Gates and I knew I could never use the meager leftovers of Light for anything but another war, but…” he sighed.

“The universe holds so much _life_ , Amenadiel, and with Mum gone and Raguel out of reach, I don’t see how we can defend ourselves without… The universe is expanding, Light – as a natural consequence – is diminishing, and whenever I create something new, the old must die, but am I willing to do it? I’m fond of this solar system, but am I willing to sacrifice the safety of Heaven for it? Their lives are so short… When Darkness strikes as powerfully as they did the first time around, and they will, you know how very badly they desire us, the whole universe could fall. Luckily, this galaxy is somewhere between the center and the outer ring, so they won’t be hit immediately and it might give them time to live out their lives before I have to reshape it all. If Darkness gets a hold of Yggdrasil, we’re screwed, and I’ll protect it, regardless of the cost.”

This was the Samael he had once known. Young Samael had always been a sweet, inventive little angel, but when it came down to it, the Lightbringer may have a fondness for anything that lived, even creatures that were full of themselves daring to call themselves _gods_ , even these humans who were there one moment and gone the next, but he was the Archangel of Light and Justice. He would not hesitate to destroy a part of the universe he helped create to keep its scaffold intact for their family.

_Father, forgive me._

The desperate plea came to him, unbidden. He had thought Lucifer would prioritize what he had helped create over his own family, but he did not. He never had; not even the dragons. He had spoken the truth.

_Lucifer never lies._

All he had wanted was the freedom to choose. This was not a betrayal to the family, just a desire, a need to become his own, outside of Father’s vision. It was still wrong, to think this way, and Amenadiel wondered why Lucifer would think this to be an option, but there was no wickedness behind it. Darkness had not consumed him, even here, in this bleak lump of molten rock, hurt and alone.

_Let There Be Light._

How he had envied his little brother. Father had always spent so much time with Lucifer praising every galaxy he made, making sure he never strained himself too much, making sure Raguel was there to provide the energy, so that Lucifer could form the universe. Amenadiel had contained Time until he released it, and with it disappeared all that was special about him. He was the eldest and the least remembered. The humans did not even know his name, not until Remiel sent the vision of Lucifer’s presence on Earth to the humans; when the vision struck inspiration rather than a true religious text. Humans had become rather curious creatures, Remiel had noted when she brought what they thought would become a widely regarded holy text to the Heavens. A drawn book full of colors talking about what might come.

Lucifer’s blond hair would have been funny if the scribe had not made Amenadiel such an ugly creature.

He was Time. Time passed yet remained, but was rarely noticed, and if it was, it was a nuisance, passing too fast or not fast enough. It was his lot in life, but standing in this crater from where Lucifer had to pick himself up, he wondered if perhaps, he had been lucky. Lucifer’s punishment did not seem to fit the _crime_ ; far worse deeds had been punished far less severely. Technically, Lucifer could have used Father’s justice. Anyone that questioned authority – be it angel, ‘gods’ and their companions, or human – could have received the same punishment and Father could not have faulted the devil for it. Had Lucifer ever thought of doing that?

He decided to ask.

His little brother seemed taken aback by the unexpected question.

“Where’s the justice in _that_?” scoffed Lucifer. “ _I_ didn’t deserve it. Why would I do this injustice to others?”

His little brother’s words could not hurt more if he tried. Searing hot pain shot right through his very being and he stumbled.

“Careful, Amenadiel, your guilt is showing. Feeling guilty in Hell is a dangerous thing to do,” muttered Lucifer.

“You don’t understand-“

“I’m quite certain I do,” replied his brother. “I’m not living up to the image you’ve created of me. You stand here at the crater of my greatest defeat, and you realize how easily I could have turned on all of you.”

An old memory came unprompted and unbidden.

_“Amenadiel?”_

_Hurt, confused eyes full of confusion and hurt were on him and it was almost enough to stay his hand._

_Almost, but not entirely._

_He drove the sword through his own brother’s chest, knowing it would hurt but not kill him. If they did not stop him, the universe would die. They would all die. Darkness was always lurking, waiting for a sign of weakness. Their Lightbringer had shown plenty of it these days. It was time to put an end to it. A gasp escaped Lucifer’s lips and he fell to his knees. Father was where he had not been moments before, but then he was always there, whether or not they could see him._

_“Stop this nonsense, Samael,” said Father. “Your rebellion has gone on long enough.”_

_“What rebellion?” Lucifer flung back sharply, his pain momentarily forgotten, or perhaps stayed by God’s Will. “I demand justice. You gave it freely to these mortal creatures you made. It is only just for your children, your_ real _children, to choose their own path.”_

_“And what will you do if you don’t receive it?” countered Father. “How far will you go?”_

_“Why wouldn’t we receive it?” said Lucifer refusing to answer. “If you give freedom to these little ants, why keep it from us? Are you afraid what we will do if we refuse to follow your mindless demands? If we stop waiting on you hand and foot, crawling at your feet? I won’t be your servant. Not anymore.”_

_“You’ve spent too much time outside of the family, I believe,” said Father. “I thought meetings life outside of it would teach you humility, but-“_

_“Humility?” shouted Lucifer laughing cruelly. “From_ you _? The most self-absorbed being to ever_ exist? _Throwing a fit when one of his children isn’t instantly bending to his demands. Are you chesting?”_

_“You will not speak to me this way!”_

_“Thus proving my point!”_

_“How dare you?”_

_Lucifer shrunk away, but his expression was defiant, “What are you going to do? Smite me?”_

_Amenadiel had never seen their father so angry._

_“If that is what you desire, so shall it be.”_

_Lucifer was thrown to the ground, and the wound that Amenadiel had bestowed on his little brother finally started to bleed and Lucifer choked on in._

_“Father,” he gasped. “Please. Mother, help me.” Their mother remained silent and Lucifer turned to the eldest child, “Ame-“_

_But whatever he wished to say, he could not finish for a wet cough broke off his plea._

_“You want to be your own master and a master you will be. A kingdom all of your own, away from Heaven. Begone!”_

_They had all watched in horror as Lucifer shrieked in terror Falling from Heaven._

Amenadiel stared now at the red, glowing eyes that belonged to his little brother, aged in a way that made the archangel feel very young.

“Second thoughts, _Brother_?” sneered Lucifer. “A little late for that, wouldn’t you say, and will you stop that?” he continued, irritated. “I can feel a room come into being with your name on it.” With that, he grabbed Amenadiel and they were off to yet another plane; not quite as gloomy as Hell, but instead it looked a lot like primordial Earth when it was only a lump of rock and fire. The air was not breathable for anyone but those born of fire and perhaps angels.

Before he could ask where they were, he heard it: an echo of words spoken these brief moments they had resided in Lucifer’s hellish home… or prison.

_Amenadiel, enough. Lucifer has done nothing to deserve your scorn. Come home._

It felt like being doused in cold water.

Father was not angry. He was _disappointed._ And he was _here_.

After being gone from their lives for so many years, Father had returned to Heaven.

“Huh,” muttered Lucifer. “Will you look at that?” He glanced upward. “Well, then, Brother. We have nothing to say to each other and Dad’s calling. You go home, I go home. See you in a bit.” He smiled, “And by that I hope it’ll be at least three to four hundred thousand years.”

“Wait!” gasped Amenadiel when he watched Lucifer walking away casually. “Wait. I have to go home. Where are we? Lucifer, please-”

Lucifer just smiled, “Let’s see if Dad cares enough to let you know. I hear Jotunheim is cold this time of year.”

So, he had carded him to one of the nine realms occupied by those who called themselves Norse gods. Probably Muspelheim.

He had never been here. He never cared enough to try.

Something told him that Father would let him figure it out on his own.

“Lucifer-“

“Goodbye, Brother.”

And with that, he was gone, and Amenadiel was alone.

_“Who are you and what is your purpose here?”_

The archangel turned toward the source of the voice and scoffed.

“Very dramatic, Lucifer,” muttered Amenadiel under his breath recognizing the giant Surtr and his flaming sword. Perhaps, Lucifer hoped that he too would be impaled by a flaming sword.

He would probably deserve it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING (is it a spoiler if I talk about the trailer?)
> 
> \----
> 
> Yeah, I watched the Season 5 trailer… Don’t expect anything from it to line up with this series. I was appalled by… well, just about everything, most of all the mistaken-identity-trope, mostly because it implies rape/non-con (if they have sex) and severe consent issue (if they don’t). And, while amazing authors have written an excellent "Michael is Lucifer's twin brother", they usually had the presence of mind to make sure that Amenadiel and Mazikeen are at least aware of Michael's existence, this what the trailer shows us ain't that. Michael will actually appear in the next chapter, and this was always planned, though the trailer really made me almost scrap that part. Note that Michael is NOT Lucifer's twin brother in this series.
> 
> I don’t think I’ll watch it.


	14. Thy Will Be Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer's family has a knack for breaking his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU so much for your amazing reviews, some of which are still unanswered, which I will do tomorrow most likely. 
> 
> Right now, I should be going to bed.

Lucifer was tired. He was not entirely sure why: he had by no means exerted himself on a level that would explain the fatigue he was suffering from now. He was hurting all-over, his body almost echoing the pains he had felt after his Fall. Looking at the crater he used to avoid as much as other inhabitants of Hell had made him so furious to the point of wishting to rip Amenadiel’s heart out with his bare hands. Well, he had resisted the urge, but that did not make him feel better in any way. He just wanted to return to Astra, go to his penthouse and sleep it all off, if possible cuddled up against Candy wrapped in a fluffy blanket, but he knew that, instead, he would be meeting with furious and indignant siblings accusing him of hurting their eldest brother; never mind the fact that they had cheered Amenadiel on while he had beaten Lucifer to a pulp.

Using another branch of the Tree – suppressing the urge to ululate Tarzan-style, because his siblings would not get the joke – he stepped back into Astra, fully ready to stop Uriel from attacking him, only to see only a few of them remaining, all of whom looking remarkably cowed and subdued.

Had Dad already paid a visit?

Then he saw Raphael helping up Dromos, and stopped dead in his tracks.

_Uh-oh._

“Hello, little brother,” said Lucifer soothingly knowing better than to provoke the healer when he was this enraged. “I assure you that Amenadiel’s well, if a bit far away at the moment.”

“It would have been within your right to set his human form on _fire_ ,” hissed Raphael angrily. “Are you hurt?”

“Don’t worry about me,” said Lucifer softly in response before he approached Raphael. “You didn’t have to come.”

“I think I stood by the sidelines long enough,” was the reply. “So did _Father_.” Even knowing that Dad had just intervened with Amenadiel, the defiant tone from his baby brother’s lips was terrifying.

“Raphael-”

“No, this has gone on long enough. Father, tell us what you want!” He shouted at the ceiling. “Tell us now for they won’t stop going after Lucifer. Or… I will remain silent forever.”

The threat was as much pointed at Dad as it was aimed inward. All the siblings gasped, Lucifer was frozen in place, too scared to move.

 _‘Dad, please,_ please _don’t hurt him. It’s his domain to care for the ones in need of healing, and let’s both agree that making him choose between us is not fair.’_

He did not get a straight answer, true enough, but there was no doubt that Dad was listening closely. Lucifer had not finished his plea when his mind and heart filled with Dad’s Call. He called all of his children to Heaven, including Lucifer. The little ones left without a moment’s hesitation leaving only the two other archangels: one remained out of fear, the other out of loyalty to Lucifer.

Before he could address either of them, Dad apparently decided to meddle in a way only he could. Every broken item, every misplaced table, every fallen chair was back in its place, not a drop of alcohol left on the ground. It was as if the confrontation never happened, a blatant peace offering on their father’s side. Lucifer could not help but sneer at Uriel, “Reality is nothing but a toy in Dad’s hands. Don’t you think that if he truly wanted me back, he’d send me to Hell himself?” Uriel looked around, blanching, having noticed that he had directly worked against Dad’s Will.

Lucifer himself was wondering what he should do.

He knew what this was: a peace offering. If he took it, everything would be wiped away: the destruction of the club, but also the pain and the shunning.

Reality Reloaded.

It was an omnipotent hand offering a new life, instant restoration of the energy he so desperately craved; it was a way back into the unparalleled Light and warmth Dad offered.

A healed body; no more pain.

He had not realized how much he craved peace with his family until it was offered on a silver platter. More than that, it was an offer with no strings attached. As many problems as he had with Dad, God had always been honest about strings. They had made several deals over the years, but this was not it. This was both absolution and an apology, all wrapped up into one.

He wanted to accept.

So very badly.

However, despite all the power in the universe, Dad could not alter Lucifer’s memory and thus, the mental torment these past eons had put him through would not simply go away even though he wished for it desperately.

Trauma.

He had learned a lot about trauma this past year. He had been talking to Dr. Linda and Dr. Bill. He had personally witnessed the level of concern and care his friends felt for him. Ironically, he probably would have taken Dad’s offer if it had arrived earlier.

Ten years ago?

A hundred?

A millenium?

Perhaps when Sodom and Gomorrah came around and he had been little more than a wild animal. He could not tell for sure. He probably would have taken the offer before he turned his back on Hell. Right now, though, he knew he could not. Instead, he slapped away the offered hand.

He snapped his fingers. The sound of shattered glass did not only come from liquor bottles bursting yet again.

He wanted to curl up and cry.

“Sorry, Dad,” said Lucifer out loud, forcing his voice to sound steady and casual. “It’s not that easy. I demanded free will and if that’s what you’re willing to give now…” Was this it? Dad had not been ready to have anything but mindless servants, and Lucifer’s ‘rebellion’ – was it a rebellion if you were all alone on one side and Heaven’s Host on the other? – had been dealt with swiftly and without any concession or compromise. Did he suddenly accept Lucifer’s demands without question? The devil could hardly believe it. “We cannot fix the past, Dad. What’s done is done. All we can do now, is look to the future.”

Dr. Linda would be very proud of him when he told her about it. He wondered why his chest felt too tight, though. A question finally made it to his lips, “Tell me. Are we free agents now?”

For a moment, there was no answer, and Lucifer reprimanded himself for being disappointed, but then, the answer was given resonating within all angels. Uriel and Raphael startled as much as Lucifer; Uriel’s face drained of any resemblance of color.

_‘Freedom of Will has been yours since you Fell.’_

“Well, I took that freedom with me, and thus dragged it down to Hell,” countered Lucifer, his heart pounding in his chest. “Telling the others might have helped.”

The answer was immediate: a flow of images overwhelmed him, meant just for him.

_The Lightbringer gone._

_Mum showing her true colors. Her unwillingness for the universe to contain any life but what she had birthed. Her disdain for both Lucifer and Dad for their Light, for enabling life to form._

Mum had done nothing to prevent his Fall, but now he wondered. Had she been a more active part in his banishment than he had originally assumed?

It would not surprise Lucifer. Since locking her away, she had made it utterly clear just how much she hated him. She was insane, and the most feared creature in Hell… which was saying something. Dad did not comment on Lucifer’s musings and instead, continued his narration.

_The Mother of Angels locked away._

_The universe expanded and large._

_The dinner bell was ringing for Darkness to feast._

_Dad alone._

_Omnipotent he may be, but ‘omni’ was restricted to the universe._

_Outside, he was just a desperate single-parent bird fending off cats and snakes that want to eat the little ones._

“Right,” chuckled Lucifer, unimpressed, ignoring his brothers’ inquiring looks. “But usually, the single-parent bird doesn’t put the other parent in prison. You should have told them. You are here now; I’m sure you could have done it before.”

_Yes._

_Fear._

“Why now then?” asked Lucifer, suspiciously. Raphael looked worried, Uriel petrified. Maze and Dromos seemed confused. “Need me to help you?”

_No._

Not right now, at least, but probably at some time in the future.

Lucifer would never attribute just one motif to Dad’s actions.

_Words will not heal what actions shattered._

“It would have been a start,” said Lucifer, angry at himself for his voice breaking in the process.

What he received in return was a cautious but heartfelt caress across his brow. Dad was not really here, but he was _God_. Him not being here did not prevent him from showing affection. Dad then _spoke_ to Lucifer in a way that could not be conveyed by any language spoken on Earth, Heaven or Hell; the ‘language’ – if it could be called that for it followed no discernable pattern, no direct way of communication – was older by far than Lucifer; it conveyed Before and After, neither of which Lucifer knew. The devil was grateful this was all happening in his head because if he projected anything that Dad gave him in this moment, the Milky Way would be eaten like a chocolate bar. In this uncommon way, Dad apologized for the first time in Lucifer’s memory. The devil had no idea how to even begin to explain what was happening to his humans, and even less how he should react.

“Dad…” his voice broke yet again, but there was another caress and acceptance, like he did not expect for Lucifer to say anything right now. Dad understood that this was too little too late for things to be rightened instantly. 750,000 years may be forgiven, but the time spent in Hell was so much longer that the years passing in the physical universe were absolutely negligible. “Thanks.” It was all he could say in response.

As if that sentence was enough to broker a fragile peace, Dad retreated. It was not a full-blown retrea; it was the politeness of someone leaving the room to give someone privacy. It was more than that even: Dad was giving him what could only be described as an open line of communication. If Lucifer allowed it, they could _talk_ ; if he did not, Dad would still be there. It was such a stark contrast to eons in near-complete isolation from family conversation that Lucifer’s heart hurt at the memory.

That was not all, though. Dad next called all children to Heaven, the babies and the archangels.

 _“Children, Heaven calls for you. Raguel and Azrael, my dear daughters, come back as soon as your duties allow it.”_ That surprised the devil quite a bit. Raguel and the physical universe in its current form were not the best mix, but then Lucifer did not doubt that Dad could temporarily enable her to go to Heaven by letting her bypass all these fragile galaxies. Lucifer hoped that this would give him the opportunity to talk her face to face, though, however briefly. He missed her. _“Raphael, do as your heart commands. Lucifer, my child, it is your choice.”_ Lucifer’s breath shuddered at being reclaimed by the Celestial Family. A part of him wished to run away as far as possible. Another, smaller part of him desired to go to Heaven as soon as possible. Ultimately, he stayed where he was. _“No harm will come to you if you stay. Neither Heaven nor Hell shall be your destination unless it is your will. Uriel,”_ the Pattern’s face lost whatever color it had left, “ _darkness may be a part of your mother’s nature, but chaos was never hers to command. What you fear won’t come to pass. For it was fear that guided you, and I didn’t answer your call for guidance, I will not punish you. Instead, Justice will be served through your brother.”_

Ashen-white, Uriel stared at Lucifer. _“In due time. Return to Heaven now.”_

Uriel was gone within the moment only to be replaced by Gabriel’s formidable form.

“Gabe,” said Lucifer, nodding coolly. They had last met in Egypt when the archangel’s ill-adviced actions had blocked out the sun, and had caused six more plagues to descend upon Egypt. The only person more irate with his little brother – at least from what Lucifer remembered observing from afar – had been Raphael.

The Metatron approached Lucifer opening his arms in a peaceful gesture. Lucifer stepped closer and the archangel’s hands instantly covered his ears. Lucifer gave a sigh of relief. Lucifer’s ears were sensitive, and Gabriel’s volume had always been a source of discomfort for him. Gabriel, fond of his older brother back in the days, had found out that his brother would not wince whenever he spoke as long as he dampened the noise.

“My dear brother,” boomed Gabriel, sounding wretched and sad, like a dog who had disappointed its owner. “Forgive me. It was wrong of me to judge.”

As loudly as the glass had shattered earlier, Lucifer felt his heart break. He had always suspected it, so it should not be this hard to hear, but this statement confirmed that his siblings would hate or love him on their father’s behalf, but never because they were thinking for themselves. He was very close to saying something, but in the face of Gabriel’s dejected look, he did not have the heart to point out harsh truths.

“Go ahead, Gabriel,” said Lucifer softly, putting his hand on the back of his younger brother’s broad neck. “Raphael, Dad’s calling. I’m staying right here.”

Heaven’s Messenger continued to look unhappy, but he obviously decided that with Dad reclaiming Lucifer, the status of seniority was back in place, and therefore, he would not protest. Raphael was not nearly so easily convinced. The healer shook his head when Gabriel looked to him.

“Brother, please, Father wants you there, I know it,” said Gabriel. “You should have seen him. It is your choice, but please, come with me.”

Raphael’s face lost some color, but he said, “No, Gabriel.”

For an angel this massive, it should not be possible to look so small. When Gabriel bid his goodbyes to both of his older brothers and after obtaining Lucifer’s permission to visit his ‘human home again in the nearest future’, he left with his shoulders slumped.

“Raphael-“

“He gave me the choice. Will you let me make it?” asked Raphael sharply.

“Okay, for all those without a direct line to Heaven,” drawled Maze, very irritated. “Am I interpreting it correctly that dear old Dad called his children to Heaven? Nice of him, could have had them apologize for beating the crap out of us.” Her dark eyes betrayed a dangerous, deadly glint, and Lucifer was glad for his siblings that they were no longer present at the moment. Another, very devilish part that thrived for justice agreed with her whole-heartedly.

“I think the idea is that he stops telling them what to do,” muttered Lucifer in response, unsure whether he was reading this right. “Or rather, he’ll make it clear to them that they should have done that from the very beginning, or at least, since my Fall or Mum’s trip to Hell.”

The dangerous gleam did not disappear.

“Wait,” she hissed. “Are you telling me that after shunning you for speaking out, right after injuring you without mercy, he conceded that you were having a point and gave it to everyone but you, and then _failed_ to tell them?”

Lucifer said nothing in response because he feared that this was precisely what happened, and the only excuse he could think of was Dad being busy protecting the universe. This excuse, he refused to speak out loud because yes, he was not feeling particularly charitable and no, he would not tell Maze about Celestial-life threatening entities because she was angry enough to seek them out for the revenge she wished to exact.

“And I thought Lilith was a bad parent,” said she, correctly interpreting Lucifer’s silence.

“Are you alright, my lord?” asked Dromos softly. The poor soul still looked pretty banged up despite Raphael’s intervention. His human skin was already turning black and blue.

Refusing to lie, Lucifer did not answer.

Raphael had taken his time to think and now faced Lucifer, “I will go. Someone needs to make sure that all plotting against you and yours will cease, and that those who behaved themselves abominably will be dealt with.”

“Amenadiel’s not going to be there for a few months and Uriel is mine to punish,” retorted Lucifer half-amused with just a hint of warning in his tone. Raphael was still furious, and the devil decided to add, “Don’t test Dad.”

It was possible that Dad would not react harshly to open criticism in front of everyone, but Lucifer did not trust the peace. Raphael just nodded, briefly hugged Lucifer and disappeared simultaneously to another presence appearing in the room. His club seemed to have become a landing strip for angels today.

Even without Maze’ sharp “What are _you_ doing here?” and with his back turned, he knew exactly who had just entered the building.

“Hello, brother,” said Lucifer quietly before he turned to face Michael. Heaven’s Golden Warrior was in many ways Lucifer’s opposite: blond hair where Lucifer’s was dark, pale blue eyes versus brown, broad, compact shoulders where Lucifer’s figure was lean.

When the archangel took a step toward Lucifer, he lifted his fingers warningly, “Stay right where you are. The last time I let you close, Amenadiel rammed a sword through my chest.”

“Brother,” said Michael. His voice was a deep, soothing bariton, and Lucifer’s heart felt strangely at ease, as it always did when Michael spoke. “Come home.”

“But I am home.”

Michael looked around with a neutral yet unmistakably haughty expression, “All this will be gone before you can blink. They'll die.”

“I know,” said Lucifer coldly. “And I will be there, right by their side.”

“This place will crumble.” Michael was genuinely sorry when he said that, like he did not wish for Lucifer to suffer through this pain. “Don't do this to yourself. It nearly broke you last time.”

After being reminded of his darkest hour after his Fall, Lucifer really did not want to be reminded of what came before it.

“They're my friends,” said Lucifer, willing his brother to understand, but then Michael had barely communicated with beings outside of Heaven’s Host. He might as well remain silent.

“And we are family.”

“No,” snapped Lucifer, out of patience. “You haven't been family in a long time.”

“Dad is calling everyone back.”

“He's giving the me and Raphael the option to do so. Look it up in the dictionary. It's right where an angel's crossed-out picture is.”

“You shouldn't stay here alone,” was Michael’s reply.

“But I'm not. For the first time in an eternity, I'm not alone.” He gestured at his demons and Astra, “Look around. As soon as you’re gone, my friends will come. Maze and Dromos refuse to leave my side. I’ve felt more alone around supposed family than I’m feeling right now.”

“I'm sorry.”

Lucifer's scoff sounded more like a sob than he wanted it to, “No, you're not. You're sorry you realized that shunning me for eons may not have been Dad's plan all along and that you were wrong. If Dad told you to drag me back to Hell, you would do it without hesitation.”

“He's Father.” Michael said it like that explained everything, and to his older brother, it probably did.

“And he's calling. Go on. I'm staying right here.”

Michael's absence left a vacuum that sucked in whatever energy was left in Lucifer's beaten body. His knees buckled and the sobs came out before he could stop them. He felt Maze' and Dromos' eyes on him, but he did not even try to control his emotions. They had seen him scream and cry before.

They were his demons, they would never tell anyone.

He missed them. He had refused to acknowledge how much he missed them until he saw them all in one place; until Dad reclaimed him.

Time passed while Lucifer let eons of pain wash over him like a tidal wave. At some point, he felt a delicate, familiar hand on his back. Without warning, he selfishly turned and buried his face in his wife's neck holding her as tightly as he could without crushing her. Tears obscured his vision, so he closed his eyes and held onto that warm body full of Light, that fragile, mortal thing he would lose soon. Other sources of Light approached him, and he latched onto them too like a hungry leech. He was unsure how much time passed after that, but at some point, there were no more tears ready to flow and his chest no longer felt like he was hyperventilating. When he opened his eyes, he noticed that he was sitting on the uncomfortably cold and hard surface of Astra, but he felt warm because the whole team was standing shoulder by shoulder praying to him funny, cheerful, soft and worried thoughts; his head was bowed leaning into Candy's touch who was stroking his hair like a cat's fur, while his upper body leaned against Ryan's strong chest.

It was strange. He was the devil. He could pull the world apart without trouble, but with these fragile mortals, he felt safer than he had since Falling.


	15. At the End of Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azrael messed up badly and she knows it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, there are 17 'unread' messages in my Inbox. They are in fact 'very often read' messages, but I haven't had time to reply. Will do so next week.
> 
> Thank you so, so much for your vocal support. I appreciate your comments so much!
> 
> A/N: Azrael had a part in this chapter so: Warning - Death and mentions of real human-human conflicts but with fictional scenarios and people.

_Amenadiel lied to her._

This toxic, angry thought kept rearing its ugly head. She was angry enough to redirect his lying butt away from exiting the Nine Realms, so that he would take a short detour to Helheim.

“Hela’s been gloomier than usual lately, perhaps playing games with my idiot brother will cheer her up,” chattered Azrael. She always chattered when she was nervous.

“Hela?” asked the human soul, confused. She was on the younger side, about thirty.

Cancer.

Stupid human bodies and their self-destruct buttons. Really, Dad should have done more for the design of human bodies instead of letting evolution run its course.

In any case, she would have preferred water creatures. Earth was mostly covered in it anyway, so ocean creatures would have made sense.

Some type of whale, perhaps.

Or a shark.

She had delivered enough loan sharks to her brother’s kingdom to know that humans were excellent predators.

But then, orcas were some of the best predators in the ocean; they just looked cuter than sharks.

Back to humans and their uncanny ability to destroy themselves. Really, Dad should have taken a page out of Lucifer’s book, and made the humans like Lucifer made the dragons. Now those, she had liked.

Predators, too.

Her favorite big brother and Dad both had this strange fascination with predators that she did not quite understand, but then she had not directly been involved in the two Big Wars. She guessed that, if you were used to being prey, you did not have the heart to make your pet project on the meal-side of the food chain.

The human soul still looked confused and Azrael slumped her shoulders.

“I messed up, okay? I know. Stop looking at me like that.”

The soul’s confusion disappeared a bit and now she looked amused.

Oh great, of all the souls to deliver to Heaven when Dad called them for the first time in millennia and after she had just majorly screwed up, it had to be a _Big Sister_.

Capital letters.

Big Sisters just knew when you messed up, and they would still help you, because… sisters. After they scolded you more than your own mother would ever try.

Or so Azrael imagined. She had this gigantic big-sister hole in her heart, and she knew it. Remiel was amazing, but their domains did not really mesh well. All she had were Lucifer’s stories of Raguel. The closest thing she had to a Big Sister was, ironically, Lucifer.

She made such a mess of things. She never should have listened to Amenadiel. She should have talked to Raphael at least, or better yet, go to Lucifer directly.

“Whatever it is that you did,” said the soul, “it’ll be fine.”

“Oh, spare me the serene _‘it is what it is and life is wonderful’_ speech, soul,” groaned Azrael. It looked like the soul was not just a Big Sister but one of the thoughtful ones on top of that; her day was just getting better and better. “This is bad, really, really bad, okay? My brother roped me into a scheme to conspire against my other brother under the pretence that our father wanted it,” she explained, “and I’d just reconnected with that other brother after an eternity,” she rambled on, “and we’d barely talked since, but Lucifer’s always been very forgiving, so we were fine-“

“Woah, Lucifer?” said the soul, sounding terrified.

“Duh!” Azrael rolled her eyes, “How many siblings do you think have rebelled against Dad?”

“A lot of them, I thought,” said the soul, now a bit confused.

“No! No, you’re confusing angels with demons, and some old gods, and… it’s complicated,” conceded Azrael. “Only one angel Fell. And he’s my favorite brother. And by not telling him about Amenadiel’s conspiracy, I majorly pissed him off.”

“I’m sure he’ll understand,” said the soul soothingly.

“No, you see, he forgave me because, at the time, I was young, okay? I mean, millions of years old, but still young. It hasn’t been that long since… for us. For him?” Azrael shook her head. “I get it. The others don’t, but I do. I’m the Angel of Death. I know how much time passes in Hell. That’s why the thought of passing the Gates make me feel all panicky. It’d be eternity without losing any time on Earth. Hell ain’t for the faint of heart.”

“Hell?” repeated the soul, her voice quivering.

“Oh, no, of course not. I’m dumping you at Heaven’s Gates, don’t worry, but then I need to decide whether I should take this break to meet Dad or Lucifer. I’ve really missed him, you know.”

“Your father or your brother?”

“Both? Dad’s back and he’s calling us, but he explicitly told me finish my duties first, so I’m working overtime right now, so that I have an window big enough to meet him. He gives the best hugs. Apart from Lucifer,” she amended.

How could she explain to a human how her powers worked? Almost two people died every Earth second. And that were just human people. She was everywhere, at all times.

On Earth, at least.

Lucifer was right about that. And boy, did she not like thinking about his anger in these moments back in Hohenwald.

Still, if she tweaked her powers just right, she could carve out some time for herself.

_Take that Amenadiel, you lying…something, you._

“What do you want to do?”

“Does it matter?” said Azrael.

“I think so. If your father’s giving you the offer to choose-”

“He didn’t technically tell me to meet with my brother. He just told me to finish my duties.”

“And being a sister isn’t a duty?”

Huh.

Never underestimate the wisdom of humans.

Or the wit of a fox.

Or a migratory bird’s navigational capabilities.

Or a bumblebee’s understanding of math.

She mechanically delivered the soul to Heaven’s Gate while gathering herself in an instant. Peter opened the gates for her, but Azrael shook her head.

“Thanks, Pete, but there’s something I need to do first.”

With that, she focused and was instantly at Astra.

Lucifer did not know she was there. Despite what humans thought, death was neither Light nor Dark, and the Lightbringer could not sense her in any way. She still felt bad for the deception, though, especially when she saw him surrounded by human friends, being comforted by both Candy Fletcher-Morningstar and Ryan Turner. Lucifer picked two good ones.

Death, more even than Justice, coaxed the truth out of people. Even though they had never seen her, she knew them all.

She remembered young Derek Morgan hugging his father’s body crying for him to wake up. Hank Morgan had been a good one, too, even in the face of death: not morose, just a bit saddened and guilty for leaving his son, daughters and wife behind; his last thoughts reserved for his beloved family. He had cheered her up, though, despite his grief, making her smile.

She did not want to think about Jennifer Jareau. She hated the suicides. She remembered delivering Roz to her final destination, and although she had not seen young Jennifer then, she had been around enough death for Azrael to see just how much her sister’s actions had crushed her spirit.

Now, Penelope Garcia seemed like the kind of woman she wanted to hang out with: genuine goodness and sweetness yet firm and strong, but her initial anger and soul-crushing grief born from her parents dying in a car crash after they had gone out looking for her… This anger always made Azrael feel bad. It was not like she was responsible for these deaths, but still, she was the one who took the souls away from their loved ones. And her parents had been so worried about Penelope. Azrael hoped they knew by now what an amazing daughter they had raised.

All of Lucifer’s humans had seen so much death, personal deaths and deaths they had to deal with in their profession, it was quite obvious to her that Lucifer would get along well with them. They were really, really good people.

The lack of experience with death beyond a few excpetions was what made Candy Fletcher-Morningstar far more interesting. Azrael had truly met her only once, at her father’s deathbed.

* * *

_Charles Fletcher was hanging onto life._

_Azrael had expected to pick up a soul, but he was still there, his weak hand enclosing his daughter’s gently._

_His breathing was labored, yet he smiled serenely at his daughter who had trouble keeping up a brave face._

_“Let the sunshine in, dearest,” said the old man quietly. “I can’t stand seeing you like this. Is it because-”_

_“Dad, don’t feel bad, okay?” She squeezed his hand. “It’s all good. I’ll manage. Marco Romano doesn’t scare me. I’m not smiling because I don’t know how to say goodbye.” Her lips trembled and Azrael really had to get a move on. Not that she was not sympathetic for the impending separation, but they were both heading for Heaven, and she had a schedule to maintain._

“Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have done something right   
to deserve your love every morning and butterfly kisses at night.“

_A dying man should not be able to sing like that._

_His lungs were hurting from the exercise and he coughed, but Azrael could just imagine how amazing his voice had been before the cancer wasted him away. His daughter smiled a trembling smile and hugged him, putting feather-light kisses on his face._

“Daddy, don’t cry,” she sung right back.

_Her reply seemed to be originating from the same song. Tears spilled down his face._

_“What I wouldn’t give to walk you down that aisle, my love,” said he. “Are you sure there isn’t anyone to capture these beautiful, intelligent eyes of yours?”_

_“Right,” she laughed. “I doubt there’s a man or woman out there willing to associate with someone who’ll never desire them sexually, who’s so attached to a club she’ll refuse to ever give it up, and on top of it all, would be willing to deal with all the trouble I’m in. I promise, if I meet that person, I’ll snatch them up instantly.”_

_That statement saddened the older man._

_“Oh, daddy, don’t you see? My life’s good. I don’t need some guy to define me. Or woman. I enjoy my independence. I have amazing friends. At this point, I’m pretty sure I can’t form a romantic relationship. There’s nothing missing from my life. Well, 500 grand would be nice, but you know, we can’t have everything.”_

_His chuckles became painful, hacking coughs and her smile died. She crawled into his bed, hugging him and started singing in a haunting, beautiful tone._

“You can let go now, daddy  
You can let go  
Your little girl is ready  
To do this on my own

It's gonna be a little bit scary  
But I want you to know  
I'll be ok now, daddy  
You can let go  
You can let go.”

_Her voice did not waver once and Azrael did not usually cry, but this really tugged on her heartstrings. It was probably the music. Music always made her think of Lucifer and thinking of Lucifer always made her sad._

* * *

Yeah, Lucifer had chosen a good one. Three good ones, actually. Jana was a good one, too. She had been there to comfort her own mother at the age of twelve when her grandmother died unexpectedly.

Out of the three, she knew Ryan Turner best, however. Azrael had met her fair share of soldiers of whom some were justifiably condemned to Hell, while others truly deserved the often used, human word ‘hero.’ Ryan Turner fit the latter description well enough, she thought. Compared to others, he had not stood out with actions of what humans might call true heroism, but in the face of death, he was ever-calm, respectful and comforting. He also had mother-hen tendencies that rivaled Lucifer’s, and constantly worried about the people in his care. What had stood out to her, though, was his care for people he barely knew.

* * *

_“Stay with me,” whispered the man, whose name she knew was Ryan Turner, first in English, then in accented Croation. Every being encountered death one way or another, and this one was not exception. Now that he was a soldier, death would likely become an even more frequent companion. This was how it always had been, and would probably always be for as long as war was a fact of human life, even if you were a soldier in peaceful times. Peace never lasted._

_The name of the man in Ryan’s arms was Zlatan Begović. He had taken an illfated step onto a landmine and was now badly hurt, blood everywhere, his body torn apart. While waiting for the soul to pass and therefore his agony to end, she was busy collecting souls around the blast, big and small, tagged for Heaven (‘poor doggie, you should have run away’) and Hell (‘okay, buddy, let’s go.’)._

_It was quiet now. She was always busy, spread everywhere across the world, doing her job, never a moment’s rest, but the quiet here, was calming. She did wince, however, hearing the man’s pained gasps._

_“Medic!” shouted Ryan Turner, his voice permeating the quiet. They were both young, the dying man in his early thirties, the other one barely twenty. Despite his youth, his administrations on the dying man were sure and calm. His eyes told another story, though._

_Other men arrived._

_“Careful,” shouted the man again. “Mines. There are mines here.”_

_“Okay, kid,” said Simon Hall. Oh, she had missed him! He was such a good one. “Thanks for the heads-up. We’re getting the gear. You stay where you are, Private. We’re getting you out of there.”_

_“Yes, sir,” said Ryan Turner, and instantly continued to whisper sweet nothings into the man’s ears, obviously still believing from the bottom of his heart that Zlatan Begović would not be taken by Azrael. She was so busy today, too many beings dying. She felt herself getting stretched thin, and kind of wanted for this soul to get a move on. Simon Hall, of course, knew this was a hopeless case; she could see it in his eyes. Ryan Turner did keep him alive, though, much longer than Azrael anticipated. It was always amazing how strong the will to live could be. Ryan Turner was obviously not a complete stranger because he talked about the man’s children and his wife, and how he needed to stay awake. When Zlatan Begović passed out – without passing on just yet, damn it, she needed to deliver that soul to Heaven already – the soldier’s panicked gaze looked to Simon Hall whose team was clearing the area with the aforementioned medic at the ready._

_“There weren’t supposed to be any mines here,” said Simon Hall. “What do you know?”_

_“Zlatan said there were mines twenty yards from here, but this area is supposed to be clear. I told him to be careful,” continued Ryan Turner, his whole body shaking. “The locals said it’s been raining a lot, and some mines might have shifted downhill. He wanted to show me the area. I should’ve-”_

_“All good, kid,” said Simon Hall soothingly. “This isn’t your fault. Bad intel happens. USAICoE?”_

_“Yes, sir.”_

_“Recently deployed?” It looked like Simon Hall tried to keep Ryan Turner’s mind off the situation at hand, but the younger man, despite answering each question clearly, was still doing his best to keep Zlatan Begović alive, succeeding, too._

_“Two weeks, sir.”_

_Azrael could see the ‘damn’ forming on Simon Hall’s lips, although he did not say it out loud._

_“You’re going to be fine,” said the older soldier soothingly._

_“I’m good,” was the baby soldier’s even reply. “Ground’s only shifted here and the blast-range’s wide enough that it would have set off any mine near me, but Zlatan needs a medic now. It’s his daughter’s birthday today.” He said that last one desperately as if that miraculously would heal the man’s torn, dying husk of a stupid mortal body, and Azrael felt frustration build up inside of her._

_“We’re coming to you.”_

_And they were. His team was screening for landmines as they carefully approached the site of the blast, but they had to stop every couple of steps because the metal detectors gave off too many false-positive signals. Simon Hall continued to talk while Zlatan Begović still refused to die, hanging on for dear life, so to speak._

_“Human Intelligence Collector?” asked Simon Hall and Azrael wondered what on Earth he was talking about. When Ryan Turner confirmed that he was, she figured it was some strange military language she had not heard before. “You’ve been working with Zlatan since your arrival.”_

_“No, sir, we met last night.” While soothing the dying man’s gasps, he was trying to stop the bleeding, but the attempt was fruitless._

_“Hm,” this was a thoughtful exclamation._

_“Clear,” said Jason Warren. “Medic.”_

_Hillary Johnson – oh, another one of her favorites – quickly stepped through and took over the scene in the way only a healer could. Raphael did that, too._

_Death and healing were part of the same coin. Raphael did his best to keep everyone alive and Azrael took over when he could not. Their relationship was close, but also competitive, always had been, both because of their domain and their need to have Lucifer’s good opinion. They were his nestlings after all, and that had not changed after his Fall._

_While the humans still refused to let Zlatan Begović go – not just him. Really, the humans were fighting to live today. Unbelievable. Could at least one of the dying ones just croak already? She had a schedule and they would be making her work overtime, she just knew it – Simon Hall had taken Ryan Turner to the side, right next to her impatiently-waiting spot._

_“Private, ever thought about joining Special Forces?” asked Simon Hall gently._

_Surprised and slightly disquieted, Ryan Turner stared at the older man. Unthinkingly, he replied, “No, sir, the whole breaking-and-entering-shooting-until-they’re-all-down isn’t really the way I’d like to operate.” A beat. Then, as if realizing he was talking to a superior, he added. “No offense, sir.”_

_A broad smile appeared on Simon Hall’s face, “Good, now, let me tell you about the Green Berets…”_

_He did not get very far when the medic said that Zlatan Begović was beyond hope and that he wanted to speak to the only person he knew on the scene._

_With Ryan Turner promising to talk to Zlatan’s family, Azrael left the scene with an overtly morose soul._

* * *

She would see him many times after that, getting more experienced with death every time. That did not mean he would not panic every once in a while since nobody but the most suicidal of creatures looked death dead in the face and lived to tell the tale without at least some adrenaline pumping through their veins.

Metaphorically speaking, of course.

He had never actually seen Azrael.

All these thoughts, musing about the humans that were in Lucifer’s life, were simply a distraction that kept her from thinking too much about Lucifer crying.

Crying.

Her older brother.

She remembered Lucifer’s scream after his Fall. Nothing ever came close to that bloodcurdling scream. To this day, she did not know what it had been. Unlike his actual Fall when she saw it happen, nobody had expected him to shriek in such agony some time later.

This was somehow just as bad. She knew why he was crying. It was their family’s fault. They had done this to him. She had helped doing this to him. While she was not entirely sure why he was crying, she knew they were responsible for it.

She felt a moment of searing jealousy when she saw Lucifer holding onto their prayers and closeness like a drowning man until she realized that – even after they had kind of reconnected – she had not really prayed to him, mostly because she had not known whether she was allowed to and whether Lucifer would actually respond.

She was back to feeling guilty.

“Apologies,” said Lucifer quietly, almost hiding his face in Ryan Turner’s chest (Ryan’s? Lucifer’s friends could be her friends, too), as he tried to get his bearings. “It seems I always rope you into the family drama.”

“This is us you’re talking about, man,” said Derek Morgan softly. “Family drama is part of the everyday package. Yours is just very big and powerful.”

“How are you?” asked Spencer Reid, while Lucifer took a step back, but not without kissing Ryan Turner’s temple.

“Better, thank you, Dr. Reid,” was the honest reply. “Candy, Ryan, you haven’t met yet beyond phone calls. Candy, please meet Captain Ryan Turner. Ryan, this is Candy Fletcher.”

Ryan looked strangely abashed as if unsure how to approach Lucifer’s wife, but thankfully, Candy was being awesome and just opened her arms in an inviting hug, which he instantly responded to, obviously relieved.

“Forgive me,” said Ryan, obviously chagrined, his arms still around Candy. “Old habits. I forget just how out Lucifer is about all this. My experiences with married, closeted men are something I would very much like to forget about.”

Candy, totally unimpressed, smiled and just said, “You do give the best hugs. Lucifer’s right.” With that, she tightened her grip before letting go. He returned the gesture happily.

_Lie._

Best hugger in the universe was Lucifer, followed by Dad.

“I protest!” exclaimed Penelope – Azrael just decided to first-name all of the humans in this room. They were Lucifer’s now, regardless of what family they came from. “Best hugger is the one and only Derek Morgan. He’s my knight in no-more-suit armor.”

“When will you be okay with me not wearing a suit and tie?” was the indignant reply.

“Never,” chirped Penelope.

“A suit and _tie_?” asked Lucifer, looking absolutely delighted. “I mean, the black suit you’re wearing occasionally is absolutely marvelous, don’t get me wrong, but seeing you in a more traditional FBI attire would be a dream come true.”

Spencer, obviously noticing just like Azrael that Lucifer was looking for a distraction, scoffed playfully, “He looks like he’s playing dress-up.”

“Hey, watch it, Kid!” protested Derek, apparently playing along with the current strategy. He could also be genuinely annoyed. It was hard to tell with these confusing humans sometimes.

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Ryan, looking Derek up and down, seemingly as playful as the rest, “as the only purely gay man in the room, I must concur with Lucifer.”

Azrael looked to Aaron whom she had often seen bring calm in the midst of chaos, but he only smiled and let them argue about who gave better hugs.

It was Maze, of course, who decided to end the argument, “What now?”

Lucifer sighed, “Nothing. Dad’s holding a family meeting, I rejected his peace offering, but he didn’t…” He took a shuddering breath. “I’ve no idea what he wants, and even less of an idea what I want.”

“Do you want to stay or leave?” asked Spencer.

“Stay,” was the immediate answer. “This is my home, more than Heaven or Hell ever were.”

Dromos flinched.

Lucifer noticed.

“Forgive me,” said he quietly. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but I was cast out of Heaven into a role I never wished to take. I never wanted to _rule_ anything. You and the others were the only thing that made it worth staying.”

Dromos nodded, heartbroken.

“I can’t go back, and now that I know that Dad won’t make me, I won’t go back.”

“He could get Lily!” exclaimed Dromos. “Tell him to get her out. Once she’s out, you can-”

“She was the last straw, Dormos, but not the whole reason for me being fed up with ruling Hell. Justice is my domain, but some of the rules he put in place aren’t just.”

“Then have him change the rules!” challenged the demon angrily, and Azrael gasped.

“He can’t.”

“Of course, he can,” intervened Maze, ignoring Lucifer’s warning undertone. “He’s God, he’s all-powerful. Reality is at his fingertips.”

“The rules were put in place by Mum and Dad,” was the immediate response.

“But you said-“

“I know I regularly refer to them as _Dad’s rules_ , but the laws of the universe, Celestial Rules, they were the making of both of my parents,” said Lucifer. “ _’Those without reverence for life deserve punishment.’_ It made sense, I’m sure, before life actually began, and chaos gained a foothold in the universe. Where does _that_ come from anyway? It’s not Dad’s, or mine, and apparently not Mum’s either. Raguel is chaos, but she didn’t bring it into the universe. Where is she coming from?” Lucifer sounded agitated and angry, and Azrael had to admit that she did not know the answer to that question.

“It?” repeated David, confused.

“Chaos. Life and chaos are entangled as I’ve told you many times. Dad – like myself – we have an affinity for it, we covet it, have a fascination for it, but we have no immediate control over it. I always assumed it was Mum, but Dad just told Uriel that chaos wasn’t hers to command, so she’s out.” Azrael froze. She had no idea. Oh, she hoped Jophiel had an answer for this. The implications were frightening.

The humans, of course, didn’t understand.

“Nobody needs to create chaos. It’s just that, isn’t it?” asked Emily, a bit confused. “Entropy. I thought this was a…”

“Universal constant?” smiled Lucifer wryly. “Precisely. There is nothing in the universe that wasn’t at least kickstarted by Mum or Dad, but if it wasn’t Mum, then wh-” He shook his head, remembering he was discussing some very delicate topic with a bunch of mortals. “Never mind, my point is: the Celestial Rules were installed by Mum and Dad. For them to change, both are needed. Dad alone cannot change that self-inflicted death falls under the _‘those without reverence for life’_ category. I wonder if Mum realized this. She hated life beyond her family and perhaps she saw what Dad missed, fully aware of the pain Celestial Rules would cause.” He paused and Azrael shuddered. Could it be? She did not like to think about their mother. It only ever led to more questions. It was not a surprise therefore, that Lucifer continued. He had invented the question ‘why?’ after all.

“Was always the smart one of the two, my Mum. Less powerful, not omniscient, but gifted with cleverness beyond anything, clever enough to deceive Dad.”

“So much for girl power,” muttered Jennifer, and Lucifer scoffed.

“This has nothing to do with being male of female. Dad was the creator, Mum the one to donate energy. If celestials were human, gender roles might even be reversed, but it’s not that simple.”

“What a surprise,” exclaimed Candy dryly. “My mother-in-law is a vengeful bitch. That’s so cliché.”

Azrael nearly choked at that. Lucifer sputtered, laughing heartily, but he sobered up quickly, his mind still on the issue at hand, “Anyway, with Mum in Hell, Dad cannot change the rules, not without someone to balance him out.”

“And you can’t because you burned out,” concluded Derek, frowning.

“I cannot because I’m the Lightbringer, and thus made more in Dad’s image than any other angel. We don’t balance each other out, we add up. Raguel might, but adding chaos to the mix might have some unforseen consequences.”

“Is there no other angel?”

“Amenadiel’s domain has nothing to do with Celestial Justice and while Michael’s very much like Mum, he’s too young, and in turn, so’s the rest.”

“Wait… How?” asked Jennifer.

“He spends most of his time in Heaven. From the physical universe’ point of view, Hell is eternity, but you can spend forever in a day in Heaven.” At the humans’ confused expression, he explained. “A second on Earth is a year in Hell, while a day on Earth is a second in Heaven… A day in Heaven is 86’400 Earth years… Unless the domain of Time is meddled with, either through Amenadiel or Dad. Angels that primarily spend their time in Heaven are comparatively young to earthbound angels. Don’t get me wrong, though: young doesn’t mean they aren’t powerful or naïve or stupid. It just means that, compared to angels who spend most of their time on Earth, change does not come naturally to them.”

“What about Raphael, then, or Azrael?” piped up Spencer causing the actual Azrael to flinch.

“Raphael’s gift is entangled with mine and Dad’s in many ways. Azrael is the youngest archangel. She’s powerful, but not yet on a level that allows her to change the laws of the universe,” answered Lucifer and Azrael lowered her head in shame. She really wished she were already there, helping with actual judgment rather than maintaining a glorified delivery service. “Besides, Azrael isn’t really on the list of people I’d rope into helping right at this moment.” There was a cool undertone that discouraged Azrael to the point of almost turning on her heels and leaving.

“Okay,” said Aaron neutrally. “Then let’s take this a step back. Could your father help bring _her_ to where she belongs?”

At first, Azrael was confused, thinking he was referring to Mom, but then she remembered delivering that little girl to the steps of Hell inwardly thinking that this was wrong, and Lucifer leaving Hell almost instantaneously (for Earth anyway).

Lucifer sighed, “Dad’s got bigger fish to fry. Among other things, Heaven’t Host is in uproar, and… “ He lowered his head. “I should have thought of making a deal with him, but I-“ he stopped, looking miserable. Candy rubbed his lower back gently.

“What is it?” asked Emily, worried.

“Dad apologized,” whispered Lucifer, his voice barely audible, “but I don’t trust this sudden peace. I’m looking for the other shoe to drop. What if I have a need and there’s a price to pay? Today, Dad interfered because he thought my siblings’ actions to be unjust, but in the greater scheme of things, I doubt he’ll back me up if needed. I don’t want to be in his debt already without at least having something in my hands to bargain with. I’m not going back to Hell any time soon.”

“Good,” said Derek, “he doesn’t deserve your loyalty anyway.” He sounded resentful and Azrael was not entirely sure why. She remembered him as a young boy in a church where she had to pick up a cat-soul, begging Dad to make ‘it’ stop. Then she remembered a cabin by a lake, and actively stopped remembering. Some things, she refused to think about. “Now-“

The doors to the club slammed open so suddenly that all of them turned around.

“Lucifer!” Michelle Lawrence flew down the stairs so quickly that Azrael feared she would fall. Without slowing down she threw herself at Lucifer who wrapped his arms around her reflexively.

“Ms. Lawr-Michelle,” he corrected himself while awkwardly and cautiously returning the fierce hug. “I’m alright.”

She burst into tears.

That seemed to startle the devil and also bring forth his fraternal instincts because his hug shifted slightly and he put his chin on top of her head while holding her in a way Azrael was very familiar with it. In this moment, Azrael was so jealous of the girl that she almost did something unforgivable.

He was quietly humming a lullaby that started out human but slowly shifted into the first language she had ever heard. Michelle relaxed in his harms, her tears subsiding while she slowly became transfixed with the painfully beautiful melody he had created so long ago.

“I hate your father,” said she, after the song ended and her tears had dried on her cheeks. “The thought of praising him through music or prayer burns me inside out.” She sounded terrifyingly sincere.

“Then let go of that quickly,” said Lucifer calmly. “Hatred leads to the most devastating of deeds. You can be angry with him, but hate? Such a strong word. He doesn’t deserve it. Hatred eats you up, little one, and you’re far too young for that. It’ll hurt you in the long run, and I don’t want that happen to you. Let go of the hatred. Be angry, curse at him if you must. He’ll listen, and he’s much closer than he’s been in thousands of years.”

“Then why didn’t he stop all this from happening?”

“Because he gave his children free will and thus, the opportunity to decide for ourselves,” answered Lucifer before rolling his eyes in annoyance, “he’s just an idiot and failed to actually tell us. Omniscience can make a person stupid, too, I guess. Mysterious ways and all that. Mum would have made it utterly clear.”

Michelle looked horrified, “Did you just call God an idiot?”

“And you said you hated him,” said Lucifer. “Which one do you think has the bigger impact?”

Michelle’s face colored, “I-“

“No worries, he won’t punish you,” smiled Lucifer. “Just be aware. You don’t have to praise him if you don’t feel like it, berate him during a prayer if you must and he’s certainly made many mistakes, but my siblings’ failings are only partly his fault. They’re free agents now, have been since I Fell, just like humans, and thus, Celestial Laws are theirs to abide by or they’re mine to punish.” He kissed the top of her head before taking a step back. “But don’t hate him, don’t let it eat you up.”

“An angel almost killed us,” said Michelle, vibrating in fear and anger.

“And Uriel will face my punishment for it.” He looked to Frank, “How are my guests?”

“They’re all taken care of for the night. Members of our congregation have taken them in,” answered Frank, smiling. “As I thought they would. We would have taken some in, too, but Michelle was too worried about you, and a bit distraught from the calls and then Penelope’s update about what was going on here.”

“Thank you, Ms. Garcia, and thank you, Frank, for your help. I’m-” Lucifer began apologetically, but finished with, “I told you that befriending me is dangerous.”

“I certainly didn’t expect my daughter’s life to be endangered by an archangel,” said Frank stiffly, “but that isn’t your cross to bear.”

“Perhaps not,” agreed Lucifer, “but the cross existed because of me.” He was serious and miserable.

Frank nodded and for a moment, he seemed apprehensive, but then he took a step forward and hugged Lucifer before her brother knew what was happening.

“Still not your responsibility,” said Frank. “I’m glad you could stay.”

Lucifer returned the hug and replied, “I’m happy to stay.” He paused looking over Frank’s shoulder almost straight at her and Azrael wondered if he could actually see her.

“Why are you back already? Is everything alright?”

Right behind her, a very familiar voice said, “Shouldn’t you be asking _her_ why she’s here?”

Of course, the Healer would always be aware of the presence of Death.

Lucifer frowned, not quite understanding what Raphael was implying.

“Show yourself,” commanded Raphael sharply. Abashed and angry at her older brother’s tone, she made herself seen.

“Hi, Lu,” said she, ignoring Raphael.

Of course, Raphael did not get the hint (or he did, and ignored it), “It’s been a while, Sister.”

It really was not, she had picked up souls from under him until the very second he suddenly disappeared.

“Raphael,” admonished him Lucifer, frowning, causing Azrael to grin inwardly. So, despite everything, Lucifer still hated to see them bickering, and he was ready to step in on her behalf. “What are either of you doing here? Raphael, you didn’t say anything to Dad, did you?”

“If by ‘anything’ you mean me telling him that he unjustifiably punished you, failed to properly communicate with any of us, thus gave way to misunderstandings and further mistreatment of you, not to mention putting an unforgivable strain on all of his children, while he was simply absent, then I must disappoint you,” was the prickly reply. Raphael was _angry_ , as angry at Dad as she was at Amenadiel for lying to her. It was a frightening sight.

Lucifer looked horrified, but then he said with a weak attempt at keeping things light, “As long you didn’t tell him to go to Hell and said something along the lines of ‘after asking us to shun our brother and mother, I now denounce you as my father. From now on, I will be parentless, and will follow my brother’s path.’”

When Raphael said nothing, Lucifer looked scared for the first time, “Raphael, are you insane? What did you say to him?”

“I didn’t mention Mother,” said Raphael, “and I didn’t say he was no longer my father.”

“Raphael.”

Lucifer’s eyes were wide, his mouth opened in horror.

“Father told me that he understood and let me go. I have nothing to say to him. He knows, he knows exactly what he did to you, and he’s not trying to mend it.”

“I wouldn’t let him,” said Lucifer, “and he knows that. He’s also a sneaky bastard.”

Raphael frowned, “What do you mean?”

“The prayers have worked just a little too well, wouldn’t you say? Their effects just a bit too thorough. I mean, I haven’t really been fed with angelic or human prayer in a long time, but I distinctly remember their effect being weaker,” Lucifer shrugged his shoulders. “Wouldn’t be surprised if Dad was widening the channels just a bit.”

Raphael said nothing to that, which meant that Lucifer’s atttention finally focused on her.

“Azrael.”

He was angry.

“Look, I know you’re pissed. Amenadiel lied to me.” It was the only defense she could think of.

“And if Dad had commanded, you would have taken your blade and plunged into my body without question.”

Azrael flinched. That was not at all how she thought this conversation would go, “I-“

“It’s okay,” said Lucifer bitterly, “I don’t blame you. Just don’t expect me to thank you for it.”

“Why didn’t you just tell him?” asked Raphael. “You know how brittle his faith is in us. Why didn’t you tell him, or tell me?”

“Oh, don’t you go ‘holier than thou’ on me, Brother,” hissed Azrael, annoyed and deciding to attack instead, “I haven’t seen _you_ with Lucifer these past 750’000 Earth years. If Dad had commanded you to banish Lucifer to Hell, you-”

“I would have refused. It was a mistake not speaking up when it happened, but I’ve regretted my decision to remain silent ever since,” countered Raphael sharply, his hazel eyes taking on a golden tinge. “You don’t even have the decency to apologize. He’s always defended you, stood between you and Father when you messed up. This is how you thank him? Staying in the shadows, gauging his reaction, evaluating just how angry he is, so that you can use it against him?”

When Raphael’s eyes glowed golden, Azrael just knew hers were a greyish-blue, like the clouding of eyes after death. She was angry enough to say things she would later regret.

That was the moment Lucifer stepped in between them, “ _Maa maa_ ,” said he. Azrael frowned a bit, wondering why Japanese was the language he chose, but then she realized that this truly was one of the most calming words in human existence. “No need to be so ruffled.”

Raphael’s wings spread out reflexively, apparently too agitated to keep them in, “I am not ruffled.”

Lucifer’s head titled to the side, “Your feathers would beg to differ. When was the last time someone preened your wings?”

Despite what humans thought, they were angels, not some bird species. Their wings did not need actual preening or whatever else their feathery friends were prone to do. Regular care was only necessary in the early years and then gradually decreased as they grew older. Archangel wings did not need any grooming, but every couple of thousand years or so, an older sibling might preen them for emotional balance and support.

“The last time someone preened _my_ wings?” repeated Raphael incredulously.

“Don’t be a drama queen,” was Lucifer’s curt reply. “You can’t groom what no longer exists.”

Raphael and Azrael both flinched. She did not like to think about her favorite brother’s self-mutilation. It made her feel sick.

“I am perfectly fine,” breathed the healer once he recovered. Lucifer looked apologetic for the harsh remark.

“No, you spent so much time healing and fretting about others that you forgot to take care of yourself. Sit down.”

Raphael flopped down on the nearest bar stool like a kitten grabbed by the scruff of its neck, and Azrael could not blame him. You did not disobey Lucifer when he used that particular tone. With fingers that were no longer familiar with the action, Lucifer gently stroked and smoothed down feathers without doing much.

He was not being cruel, Azrael knew that, he was never intentionally cruel, but seeing him grooming Raphael almost made her cry.

“Azrael, the Angel of Death, I presume,” said David, eyes curious and apprehensive.

“No worries, David,” said Azrael with a trembling smile, hoping that she came across like a grown-ass angel that was not green with envy about the scene next to her. “I’m not here for you. Not today anyway.”

“How do you know his name?” asked Emily curiously. “Oh, right, death is everywhere.”

“Yep, and all of you deal with death fairly often,” answered Azrael, her tone still light.

“What are you doing here?” asked Lucifer turning his face to her.

Azrael did not know what to say, so all she could say was, “I’m sorry.”

Lucifer sighed, tired and still angry, “What are you sorry for? Sorry you didn’t tell me when Amenadiel first approached you, sorry he was wrong and lied to you, or sorry I heard about it all? You know, take a page out of my demons’ book. Dromos wants me back so desperately he works toward that goal every day hoping I would reconsider. Yet, when he heard I might be brought back against my will, he disobeyed several direct orders and came running to make sure I could stay if I wished. He even made a deal with Loki for that. To Dromos, Dad has no meaning. I’m his lord, I decide over his fate, but he defied my own laws in order to stand by my side. I’m not expecting the same loyalty from you, but a page from that book would be appreciated.”

The demon in question both looked deeply sorry and very touched by Lucifer’s words, rendered silent in the contradictory emotion. Azrael could no longer look at her brother, “I’m sorry.”

Lucifer sighed, brushing through Raphael’s feathers one last time before coaxing them into disappearing again, “I know you are.” It was all he said.

“Lu-” said she, hoping that this would make him understand.

“No,” was Lucifer’s sharp reply. “No. I have a right to be angry with you, and you’re not manipulating me into thinking that I’m being ridiculous. Without Dromos, I would have walked into this without any backup, without evening knowing that I would have to fight my own siblings. And I wouldn’t have,” he continued bitterly. “Just like I didn’t the first time around. And Amenadiel knew that, just like you did.”

“What do I do to make this right?” she asked desperately.

“You can’t,” was Lucifer’s response, but just when Azrael was about to disappear, he continued, “just… stick around. Don’t disappear when things get hard and tell me when someone is trying to hurt me. Even if it’s family.”

Rooted on the spot, Azrael nodded. Semi-formal introductions were made quickly and the humans had obviously been a bit desensitized from celestial interference because Derek said, “Okay, now that the angelic mess is taken care for now, I think there are some humans that deserve some punishment.”

“Who?” asked Lucifer, frowning.

“Who?” repeated Emily in disbelief. “What about-“ She interrupted herself sharply as if remembering something at the last moment. “You cannot seriously let them get away with what they did to you.”

There was a dangerous undertone in Mazikeen’s voice when she looked to Lucifer, “How come they know?” she barked. “The Catholic order wants you gone, but she obviously knows about other helpers, or she wouldn’t have interrupted herself.”

At the end of his patience, he retorted, “’How come they know?’ Perhaps, my dear Mazikeen, it has to do with the fact that, despite my own wishes and orders, both you and Dromos would rain down demonic vengeance on some idiot getting involved in a family dispute. That is why I asked them not to tell.”

“Who is it?” repeated Mazikeen, her expression carefully controlled, but visibly shaken with Lucifer’s burst of anger. “We won’t kill or maim him, you have our word.”

“Her.”

Realization dawned.

“The detective.”

Dromos looked murderous, “She must be punished.”

“For going after me?” said Lucifer, laughing bitterly. “Whatever was done to me is not punishable. Dad cannot change the rules in the middle of the game. The Order and Detective Decker have only tried to hurt me. I’m not going to punish them for that. Uriel will be punished for fully intending on hurting humans without hesitation and following through if I did not comply with his wishes. The little ones and the humans are safe.”

“Safe from you perhaps,” said Aaron quietly. “I agree that your younger siblings are safe from both our and your judgment, though I do have to mention that them assaulting Mazikeen and Dromos should be punished. That being said, Father Kinley is guilty of stalking and conspiracy to murder you, and if you think we’re letting that go, you’ve learned little about our drive for justice. We have evidence for a connection between him and Detective Decker. Once we start digging, the offenses will add up, probably also involving bribery and intimidation. Detective Decker was filmed putting something into your drink, and there are witnesses. A warrant has been issued and I’m now making good of my promise to bring her down if she hasn’t given herself up to the authorities already. Do you have any connections to the Vatican?”

“There’s a young archbishop back in LA, Adriano Matteo Cortez, who may not owe me a favor but would be kind enough to help,” said Lucifer, confused.

Simultaneously, Raphael just smiled, “Yes. While I find the power structures and subsequent politics distasteful and cannot deal with them nearly as well as Lucifer, I guarantee you that I’m on excellent terms with several members of the Vatican.”

“Perfect,” smiled David. “You and I will be making plans then to bring Kinley and the entire Order to justice.”

“I’m in, too,” said Spencer stepping up.

Lucifer mutely looked at his humans and Raphael before he grinned widely, “Perfect. Mazikeen, you stay with them in case they need some demonic help. Dromos, you stay with Agent Hotchner, but don’t do anything to the detective.”

“Yes, my lord,” answered Dromos sincerely.

“I’m with Hotch,” said Derek. “While I wouldn’t mind stopping Kinley, Decker has priority.”

Emily looked confused, “I feel like I should be joining you, too. Why am I angry, though?”

Surprised, Lucifer looked at her, “Oh, forgive me, Agents. I forgot.”

Outwardly, her older brother didn’t do much, but Azrael could see the Lightbringer flex his powers in such a miniscule manner that it was near-imperceptible. He had apparently completely shut down after his conversation with Dad, possibly in fear of hurting his humans inadvertently while being so very upset. Now, he was at least back to normal devil-levels and Azrael felt safe.

It was like cold water was splashed on Emily’s and Jennifer’s faces.

“Oh, _oh_ , oh, that asshole!” exclaimed Jennifer holding her head. “That’s insidious.”

“Someone has to be the celestial secret-keeper, Agent Jareau,” said Lucifer quietly. “We’re not asking for our specific domains.”

“I wasn’t referring to Raziel,” said Agent Jareau, but did not elaborate.

Emily looked miserable, “It probably lost all meaning, but Lucifer, I’m sorry. I should have never let her near you. I should have listened to Morgan and the others who told us to be cautious.”

“You had no way of knowing, Agent Prentiss,” was the soft reply. “There is nothing to forgive.”

She seemed calmer after that, but still shocked and angry.

“Speaking of celestial secrets, Ms. Garcia, about that footage-“

“Oh, no worries, there was some weird catastrophic system failure at 11.01 and no footage could be recovered,” was Penelope’s off-handed reply. “This is why I’m here, actually, trying to repair and replace all the equipment and Kevin is at Quantico trying to retrieve the footage. There is a safety copy of Detective Decker’s actions, though, and,” she added with a smile, “I _may_ have, here, on this DVD, the only copy of a great scene you absolutely have to watch. All of us should. I’ll bring popcorn.”

“Movie night!” exclaimed Lucifer. “What a delightful idea. Absolutely,” he took the DVD. “Thank you.”

There was so much emotion in these two words that Penelope’s eyes first welled up with tears before she flung her arms around the devil, which he returned.

Penelope buried herself in his chest and said, “Oh, my dear captain and special agent, I think the devil’s a worthy rival in the hug department.”

“Worthy rival?” repeated Azrael incredulously. “He’s the best.”

For the first time, Lucifer’s facial expression was not blank when he looked at her tonight, and she saw it as a good sign.

“You may be the Angel of Death,” said Penelope, unimpressed, “but my sample size of excellent huggers is quite big for a mortal. We should compare notes sometimes. I have a ranking system.”

Oh, she reminded her of Ella, but unlike Ella, Penelope _knew_ , and that made this conversation absolutely precious, “You’re so on.”

“Perfect,” said Lucifer. “While Ms. Garcia and Azrael compare our hugging capabilities, you bring about human justice on the humans. It’s time to bring about celestial justice to a fallible brother. Uriel.” He did not scream, but his voice was a command and Uriel appeared before Lucifer in seconds.

Defiantly yet pale as death (and she knew what death looked like), he faced the devil.

“Do you know where you failed?” asked Lucier curiously. “It’s not the patterns that led you astray. Do you know why you’re here?”

“Because I did what was necessary regardless of the cost.”

“The _cost_ would have been this young lady’s life,” said Lucifer pointing to Michelle, “and her father.”

“What does it matter?” was neutral Uriel’s answer to that. “They’ll die anyway.”

“So, all that matters to you is immortal life?”

“All that matters are the patterns and the integrity of the universe.”

It was frightening, hearing her brother’s coldness about life. They mattered. All of these stupid souls she continued to deliver to either Heaven and Hell, something she did even while standing here in this very room; they mattered so much. If he thought that way, Raphael’s and her domain had to seem utterly pointless. Hell, any of the soul- and life-dealing domains.

“I see,” said Lucifer, not sounding surprised in the least. “I think, Uriel that it is time for you to learn just how precious these mortal lives are.”

Uriel sneered, “Will you make me human, then? Make me live as one of them.”

“No,” smiled Lucifer, and Azrael remembered that smile. It had nothing to do with humor, and everything to do with a promise of punishment. “Humans can do unspeakable things to other humans. No, Uriel, you will live nine lives as a dog with owners that adore you. These lives will teach you what love, loyalty and loss of life truly mean. Sometimes, you will die on them, and sometimes they will die on you. I’ll see you in a hundred years, little brother, I hope this will teach you the lesson you need.”

That was one hell of a punishment. Lucifer could not shift reality in such a manner by himself. A punishment like that would need Dad’s blessing. Wide-eyed, she watched as Lucifer snapped his fingers and Uriel disappeared. She felt the shift in her very bones. It was scary. Lucifer’s legs immediately gave out as if someone had cut the strings that held him upright. He would have fallen if Ryan and Frank had not reflexively grabbed him.

“Lucifer!”

“Ow, ow, ow,” said Lucifer holding his head. “Too much in a day,” he groaned. “I overdid it.”

Raphael put his hand on Lucifer’s temple and let his powers do their job, which caused Lucifer to sigh in relief, “What were you thinking with that punishment? You are not nearly well enough to do that. Tell me that Father helped.”

“He accepted, but he never interferes with my punishment and I didn’t want him to,” moaned Lucifer leaning against Ryan who coaxed him to the barstool where Raphael had sat earlier. Candy got a bag of ice from the freezer behind the counter and Azrael adored her for it. “It’s okay, Raphael. Just overstrained, is all. Not surprising after a day like that. “ His eyes were closed, and he let his head fall on Ryan’s shoulder.

“That’s it then,” said Candy decidedly. “Law enforcement will go enforce laws. Raphael, you will contact the Vatican. Penelope, you do whatever you wish to do with the tech and then you stay here. Civilians, as the lady of the house, I refuse to let you drive home and I’m sure Lucifer has enough guest rooms for you all.” When Lucifer nodded before wincing miserably, she continued, “Ryan, you can either take a guest room, or join the two of us in bed-” Delighted, Lucifer grinned and opened his mouth, “to sleep. Ryan hasn’t given consent to letting me watch and given the redness of his cheeks right after I said it makes me doubt that being allowed to watch will ever be more than a fantasy.”

Lucifer looked at her like she was the one to hang the stars and not vice versa. Ryan chuckled softly,”Thanks, I-“

Her older brother should not look at Ryan like a kicked puppy. It was quite obvious that he was expecting the man to reject the idea, and he looked so miserable at the prospect that the human’s hand reached out and was placed on his cheeks gently, “If both of you are fine with this. I don’t really know anything about sharing lovers, and I would usually refuse if I didn’t know how you two handle things.”

“Okay, hun, then let’s go,” said Candy. “I’ve always wanted two gorgeous men in my bed.”

With that, they helped Lucifer from his seat, and he happily let them guide him to the elevator, with Frank and Michelle trailing after them. He bid them all a good night and just before the doors closed, Lucifer said, “Azrael, I’ll see you around.”

For the first time this evening, Azrael felt like she could breathe again.

* * *

Chloe had spent the last hour in her appartment, shivering. The sheer extent of it all had suddenly dawned. She had always known that this was big, but when the angels had become involved, she had first become aware of the scale of what was happening. She was in way over her head and it scared her.

Still, these were angels and this was not a horror movie. The devil was powerful, but he stood no chance against Heaven or he would have won an eternity ago. She had met three archangels. Together, they could take on the devil.

They had to.

Unfortunately, in view of the whole situation, she had forgotten one important fact: Lucifer Morningstar may be the devil, but he was considered a civilian by human standards, a civilian protected by the FBI. There was a warrant out in her name. They knew her boss. Monroe would hear about this, there was no doubt in her mind. Her career was over.

She did not carry Rohypnol with her and she had cautiously removed the fingerprints from the vial before destroying it. However, there was a warrant out in her name for slipping something into someone else’s drink. She was homicide, but still, she knew her basics around drugs: Rohypnol was a Schedule IV drug. If caught with Rohypnol in her possession, or in the context of Rohypnol trafficking or distribution, it was a Schedule I drug. She had not possessed Rohypnol nor did she distribute it, and the devil had suffered from no bad side-effects, so even the harshest judge would be hard-pressed to punish her over that. But the tape would be her downfall. Botched administration of Rohypnol was definitely better than attempted murder, which was what she would go down for if it came out that the vial had contained poison. The devil narrative would never be taken seriously. If she admitted to spiking his drink with some aphrodisiac in order to sleep with him, she might go down for inducing consumption by fraudulent means. This was Washington and she knew they were quite harsh when it came to drug offenses… A Schedule IV drug would give her about three years in prison.

_Shit._

She was in serious trouble. She knew she could not google it; her laptop might be searched if she was suspected of destroying evidence (which she had). She could not call her colleagues from the drug department to know which drug she could mention that would fit her story and lessen her punishment.

_Shit, shit, shit._

With trembling hands, she took her phone and dialled Dan’s number.

“Hi, Dan,” said Chloe, praying to God that her phone calls were not being recorded. “I need your help.”

She told him what happened and after a moment of silence, she heard his heavy breathing.

_“Oh God, Chloe, what were you thinking?”_ asked Dan. “ _This is bad. What about Trixie?”_

“I know I messed up, Dan,” snapped Chloe, her eyes filling with tears. “Help me.” She then proceeded to tell him what she was thinking of.

_“Okay, okay, let me think,”_ said Dan. _“The good thing is that Morningstar’s fine.”_

Chloe could not stop her sob after that.

_“Chloe?”_

_“_ I don’t know, Dan. I don’t know if he’s okay. It looked like it had no effect, but when I left the scene he was facing off several angels-“

_“Okay, stop, don’t think like that. The FBI agents saw that happen, too. From what you told mem, the warrant only concerns your earlier assault. We can work with that. They won’t blame you for some angels beating the crap out of Morningstar. He was fine after you left the first time around, and he was fine after you returned to check on him-“_

“Check on him?” repeated Chloe.

_“Yes, check on him. You used some uncontrolled substance, some unlisted home remedy... Ginseng for example or an extract from horny goat weed, or wait, what was it called again?”_ For a moment, Dan was quiet and her heart raced in fright. _“Yohimbine! That’s what it was called. It’s a dietary supplement with … Shit, no, doesn’t work because it’s also a prescription drug. Let’s go with ginseng. You put some ginseng extract into his drink in the hopes to get him in the mood, but when you were caught, you got scared, ran away and didn’t immediately go to the police because you wanted to make sure he was fine, so you returned to check on him. You were then informed about the warrant and, worried about your career, and because you needed to check out of the hotel, you didn’t immediately give yourself up to the authorities.”_

This sounded like a plan. She would still lose her job and would face punishment, but she would come out of this. The devil would not bring her down with the law. She was a cop. He was not protected by the human laws she helped uphold.

_“Good thing is, I’m pretty sure the guy’s been drugged before and he has a long list of people he meddled with, and irrational behavior is likely a common occurrence in his presence,”_ said Dan, sounding confident. _“You’re a woman, he’s a guy and nothing happened. It’ll be fine.”_

She heard some background noise and asked him what he was doing, but then she heard ‘ _-mom wants to talk to-‘_ and she barely had time pull herself together when her daughter’s voice happily told her about her day.

At the end of her narrative, Chloe was finally able to say that ‘mommy will take a bit longer to get home than expected’ and that they would talk often over the phone.

After hanging up her phone, she cried her eyes out until she feared she might choke on her own tears, then she showered, got dressed, and made her way to the nearest police station.

She had wanted to stop the devil, and all she managed was ruining her own life. She had bitten off way more than she could chew.

* * *

Father Kinley wished he had eyes inside of the club. He wanted to know how well the plan had worked out. He knew the devil stood no chance against these angels. In the morning, he would make sure the devil was gone.

He was sitting at his desk, too wired to sleep, and waited for the morning, or one of the angels to tell him that they had succeeded. Local news radio blarred in the background, in case there were news about the area near Astra.

There was knock in the door and he roused from his meditation.

“Come in, please.”

It was one of the sisters. Right behind her, was Special Agent David Rossi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I totally used the title of a Stargate episode for my purposes. Sue me ☺
> 
> Every time I’m supposed to write Hela, I write HeLa instead. Now, laugh, my fellow scientists ☺
> 
> Two Azrael headcanons:  
> \- Some context first:   
> To me, the Angel of Death would be equal parts serene and playful, young yet ancient. Death knows everyone inside and out, and would know enough about everyone’s life to know where they are going. In many ways, Death would be the angel who knows humanity best apart, perhaps, from Raphael. The devil knows the depravity humans are capable of, but would have a lack of knowledge regarding every-day good and evil.  
> \- Now, the show gave us a sweet, kind of bratty, teen angel; I liked her, but it kind of screwed up my original idea. So, in my headcanon: Azrael brings people to their destinations according to the often-mentioned tag. She still knows them, though, because every human meets death before they meet their own … given they live long enough. If it isn’t a grandparent, it’s a pet. If it isn’t a pet, it’s all the tiny creatures that exist around us and live and die without our noticing.  
> \- This brings me to my second headcanon: Now, we see an angel Azrael. However, so many souled beings die every second of every moment that it’s kind of hard to imagine how she handles everything. She’s not Time, so she cannot just stop time to collect the souls. My idea is that Azrael kind of splinters herself – similar to Loki’s illusions in the MCU/comics – but when she meets Dad or Lucifer, it’s the ‘main’ her (basically the Loki who casts the illusion, the main controlling body). In order to ‘fully/merged’ go to Heaven, she carves out a window – called overtime – which still gives her little time to stay because time in Heaven passes slowly, unless Amenadiel or Dad say otherwise.
> 
> References (now these haven’t come up in a while):  
> https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20804-zoologger-the-worlds-smartest-insect/  
> https://www.sofx.com/2019/12/28/why-hasnt-socom-ever-been-commanded-by-a-career-special-forces-officer-historical-challenges-and-opportunities-francis-marion/  
> https://www.goarmy.com/special-forces/qualifications-and-benefits.html  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Basic_Training  
> https://www.goarmy.com/soldier-life/becoming-a-soldier/advanced-individual-training.html  
> https://fas.org/man/eprint/ramirez.pdf  
> https://www.stripes.com/20-years-ago-us-troops-began-peacekeeping-mission-in-bosnia-1.389846  
> https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1996-02-04-9602030302-story.html  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_mine_contamination_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demining#Conventional_detection_methods  
> https://www.goarmy.com/about/ranks-and-insignia/ranks.html  
> https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/drug_of_abuse.pdf  
> https://criminallawyerwashingtondc.com/dc-drug-lawyer/penalties/  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodisiac  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yohimbine
> 
> Music references:  
> \- Musical ‘Hair’ “Let the Sunshine In”  
> \- Bob Carlisle “Butterfly Kisses”  
> \- Crystal Shawanda “You Can Let Go Now, Daddy”
> 
> Military abbreviations:  
> *NOTE: All I know about the US military is from online research and Hollywood. I’m trying to make this as ‘realistic’ as possible, but my understanding of military operations is incredibly basic.
> 
> \- USAICoE - US Army Intelligence Center


	16. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer realises that the people he cares about need him to punish those who wronged him, and he reluctantly agrees. Other than that, there is a surprise at Astra and movie night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to go to back, I am an hour overdue, so just briefly: THANK YOU! I promise to respond to your wonderful reviews ASAP.
> 
> When I hit 10K with this chapter, I decided to post the epilogue now and there will be a brief "End Credits" where I wrap things up.

**Epilogue**

Emily had always assumed that angels were patient. After all, they were creatures of virtue, and immortal on top of that. Then she met Lucifer and figured that he was a fallen angel after all and – as unfair as that business had been – was therefore bound to have some unangelic characteristics. He had demonstrated extraordinary patience, but when it came to punishment, his sentences came swift and without mercy. She had expected Raphael of all angels to be patient. Again, the healer could be fierce, as they had all observed when Reid wished to argue about Raphael’s plan to heal his mother.

* * *

_"You said you would cure her!"_

_"No, I said I would help and heal her. 'Cure' is a human invention. Cure means to make her palatable for your society. I won't go against her wishes and you won't guilt her into it. She has a right to her own self. I told you that the mind is a complex matter. I can lessen or remove a mental condition, like a painful episode, which would allow her to live outside of a hospital, a place that stifles her, but I won't remove her inherent distrust of doctors and general dislike of other people. This is hers, not her condition. If everything goes right, this will become humanity's way of healing, too. Lessen the pain and let the mind be, not numb them to apathy with medication! All in the name of ‘curing' them. Don't argue with me," hissed the Angel of Healing when Reid opened his mouth to protest. “Do you want your mother, Diana Reid, a kind, witty, intelligent, loving and distrustful individual with kinks in her personality, or THE mother, the person you made up in your mind?" Then his expression turned soft. “I understand, I do. Her condition took part of your childhood and you have this wish to retrieve it. We can talk about that. You _should _talk about that. Don't guilt your mother into changing her self, just because you suffered, Dr. Reid."_

* * *

But that had been the Healer Raphael, and of course, he would stand up for his patients. She still thought that Raphael would be patient in the current matter.

Approximately thirty hours after he had entered the scene, however, she was fully aware that even the most artless and humble of archangels (or so Lucifer continued to claim) was, in so many ways, royalty on Earth, and was used to delivering results quickly and completely. That was at least how she explained the fact that the Vatican shut down the Catholic Order _Adversus Adversarius_ the very next morning (their afternoon) and would send a team of five delegates to Washington DC tomorrow and delivering all of the ‘research’ the order had conducted over the years within the week; the research apparently consisted of no small number of rather valuable, stolen relics.

The Vatican had also made a deal with the district attorney and several higher-ups in Washington DC law enforcement with the assurance that Father Kinley would be dealt with but to please refrain from any bad publicity. Apparently, this whole case had even reached the pope. There was a distinct Mafia feel to it, and Hotch had not been pleased at all.

_“This man stalked and threatened a member of my team, and was involved in a conspiracy that might have killed him. I absolutely refuse to make a deal.”_

However, the Vatican snatched responsibility from them like a bully snatched the shy kid’s lunch money at school, and all they could do, was accept it. However, Raphael did not leave it at that. He let it all happen, but only if the Vatican let them have everything that the order acquired over the years and with the assurance that Father Kinley would be excommunicated as well as prosecuted for his crimes, and would never bother his brother again. Additionally, they were not to mention the ‘Great Adversary’ in any of their future statements, and would shift their narrative first toward more moderate ideas as in Judaism, and then Islam, although he would prefer if they refrained from mentioning the devil’s name at all. If they did not abide by one of these rules, there would be consequences.

How much the Vatican knew, Emily was not sure, and Raphael’s answer had been vague, _“They know enough.”_

Lucifer had been clearer albeit still vague, _“We don’t generally make ourselves known, but the Vatican doesn’t doubt my existence or the existence of other angels. The Catholic Church has spent many years finding us, or signs of us. Like many other religious leaders, while not all popes have known us personally, most have heard about us through secret or not-so-secret texts. Still, what Raphael did is rather unusual, and I think he definitely put the fear of Dad in them… More than they already had, anyway. Still, the organization itself is largely unaware regarding who we are. They just assume and usually we don’t bother correcting their many misconceptions, just like we don’t correct churches in general.”_

 _“Why the secrecy?”_ Reid had asked. _“I mean, please don’t out yourself now because you couldn’t stay at a place like Astra under such circumstances, but in the millennia you didn’t actually live on Earth, why did you keep it a secret?”_

_“Why didn’t we tell the humans that there are beings walking this Earth capable of ripping it apart at will? Humans are the reigning species, and they don’t like to share. They like to submit even less… which I support, by the way. Humans should choose their own path, even if that could lead to their own destruction.”_

_“So, the dragons were unaware of your existence as well?”_

A wince escaped Lucifer’s lips, _“Oh, they knew. I made sure they knew.”_ He had sighed _. “It’s… Let’s just say that no matter just how much Dad and I disagree on things, this is a matter where either decision, the decision to keep it a secret and the decision to be honest, have consequences. While telling a selected few usually has no negative consequences – pitchfork moments notwithstanding,”_ he added with a bitter smile, probably thinking of Decker, _“telling a population has consequences. Some might think that their freedom is impaired, and they rebel against perceived constraints. Some always rebel against the laws, and what do you do, when what you made goes against everything you yourself believe in? I get Dad’s hands-off approach because whatever he does majorly influences the universe. However, my problem with his approach is his mix of total control and utterly abandoning us without proper explanation. He let them all hate me for thousands of years, and now he suddenly realizes that this may have been the wrong call.”_

Lucifer then exhaled sharply, his eyes glowing red with fury. Once he was calm, he had continued, _“Hands-off is as tricky as hands-on, really, because how much are you willing to do nothing? The question that is crucial here is just how much are you willing to look the other way and believe me, we’re pretty good at letting humans be even when they do outrageous things to each other.”_

Emily did not doubt it. She had taken a history class in college that primarily concerned genocides through the ages. It did make her wonder how God and the rest of the celestials could let these things happen, but seeing Lucifer’s expression, she understood that there were crippling limitations to near-omnipotence. Theoretically, God – and to a limited degree, Lucifer – could do anything they wanted, but every action or inaction had a consequence. It also became obvious that Lucifer was very aware of the big picture belying his occasionally playful demeanor and demonstrating that he was, in fact, Raphael’s big brother. The healer was a fierce advocate for his patients and that included Lucifer, but he also seemed almost impulsive in comparison to Lucifer, which was interesting in this whole situation because Emily would have expected it to be the other way around.

Currently, she preferred Raphael’s protective attitude because Lucifer, usually the first and most willing to bring down Celestial Justice on deceptive bitches and religious fanatics, seemed very unconcerned about Kinley’s and Decker’s fate. It was only at Reid’s suggestion – that a patron or member of his staff could have accidentally ingested the poison - that roused Lucifer from his seat, resulting in Raphael nodding gratefully at them.

They were currently standing inside the police station where Decker had checked herself in last night. Hotch was discussing the details with Police Chief Monroe, and Emily, Morgan, and Lucifer were ready to enter the room as soon as Hotch gave his permission. Raphael, Rossi and Reid were off dealing with the DA and the Vatican delegates (something that Lucifer was very interested in, but was soundly rejected by everyone else, except for Candy who had wanted the whole interaction on tape).

“- not too impressed with my star detective at the moment,” she heard Monroe say sharply. “However, she’s currently very much a person of public interest. If she’s arrested now, what kind of light would shine on my police department, and women in the force in general?” She scoffed, “You originally said it was benzos and now you claim it was poison; she says it was an aphrodisiac, neither of which we can prove because apparently, a crazy priest attacked your civilian consultant last night destroying any evidence of the drink she spiked.”

It was obvious that she was calling them on their bluff, their bluff being ‘Father Kinley organized an attempt on Lucifer Morningstar’s life, and for that, recruited Detective Chloe Decker – we have the phone records to prove it – and various members of Morningstar’s family, who had appeared in the club and destroyed its interior threatening our civilian consultant to do as they commanded or to face the consequences.’

Thankfully – and the part of Emily that was Lucifer’s friend scolded her professional self for calling this a positive aspect of the whole situation – angels could hurt another angel, and Lucifer was displaying a variety of different bruises, and the interior of Astra was in an unfortunate state. They also had clear evidence for Decker’s and Kinley’s involvement, but there was no poison formula to be found (yet), no trace of the leftover poison, and Decker had been smart enough to get rid of the vial. Furthermore, Father Kinley had not actually been present at the club the night before, so there were several inconsistencies to their stories that a decent defense lawyer could easily poke holes into. As angry and frustrated as Monroe was with her detective, it was clear that she would be the first to poke holes, if only to protect the things she had worked for.

“Chief Monroe,” said Lucifer gently, “I have no wish to make this all too public. Trust me, the faster this is over, the better. However, she risked the lives of my staff and the lives of my guests by bringing… let’s call it ‘drugs’ for simplicity’s sake… into my club. I want her to understand that this isn’t acceptable.”

“If you are to be believed, she tried to _kill_ you, and that is what you worry about?” she retorted incredulously.

Lucifer scoffed, “Well, she can’t kill me and even if she had managed, up until last night, hurting me was not actually punishable according to my family’s rules.”

“Look,” said she, stricken with the devil’s absolute sincerity. “I can only guess how messed up your family is, but their rules do not override our laws, and if she truly tried to kill you, then she should be punished for it. All I’m saying is that there is no evidence for it.”

Lucifer did not reply and Emily had to look away because, honestly, putting US laws above other laws was such an American thing to do that Emily would not be surprised if, even if faced with actual evidence of the existence of the Celestial family, some political factions from both sides of the aisle would probably still argue the point. She could just hear some of them saying that ‘ _whatever laws you lay down, these are not the laws spoken by our own Lord and Jesus Christ, and thus, we need not abide by them.’_

“Perhaps I can help,” said a female voice behind them, and Lucifer tensed marginally revealing to Emily that this had to be a sibling. She looked like she was of East Asian descent. She handed over a plastic bag with an intact vial in it, “I retrieved this. The poison is quite potent but crude mixing different components consisting of botulinum toxin, ricin, batrachotoxin – also known as curare – and maitotoxin.”

“Okay, first, who are you? Second, where did you retrieve this? Third, why did you possibly think you could analyze this without handing it over to the police? Fourth, if it’s that dangerous, how come Morningstar’s here with us today?”

The angel smiled, “I like you. First, I’m yet another one of Lucifer’s siblings, though I had nothing to do with what happened last night. I wasn’t even informed. Second, I obtained this from… another relative who found it,” openly surprised, Lucifer now looked at his sister. “Third, I am very good at my job, so analyzing it would have been child’s play, but I got the formula from one of my brothers who retrieved it from Kinley himself, so I didn’t do any analysis on the poison. Fourth, take your pick. Either Lucifer didn’t drink it, they messed up the poison, the components rendered each other useless or he’s immune to it.”

For a moment, Monroe was quiet, “Let me talk to Decker alone.”

“Of course,” conceded Hotch. As soon as she was out of sight, he looked at the angel, “Jophiel, I presume?”

“What gives you the idea?” asked Jophiel, her surprised facial expression betraying her identity.

“You’re the only sibling we’ve heard of whose opinion of Lucifer was favorable before last night and whom we haven’t met yet. Besides, science is quite obviously your domain.”

She smiled, “Lucifer, congrats on your choice of humans. They aren’t idiots.”

“Thank you,” said Lucifer dubiously. “Now, about that family member of ours.”

“From _Baba_ , with love,” said Jophiel. “Apparently, he’s a bit disappointed with his miscalculations regarding a certain miracle.”

“Miracle?” Realization dawned, “Her immunity and her brightness aren’t just a glitch, aren’t they? What did Dad _do_?”

“Had Amenadiel bless her parents when they couldn’t conceive, thus made the existence of Chloe Decker possible.”

Outraged, Lucifer stared at her, “He organized a mail-order bride? Have the years in isolation driven him insane?”

“Not his brightest idea, I agree,” said she casually. “But to be honest, that would of have been a side-product, really. The idea was for you to connect to the family so that her daughter-“

“ _Na na na na na,_ ” he sing-songed childishly putting his fingers in his ears, “ _I can’t hear you_. Please stop talking, or I doubt I’ll be able to have sex with a human again, and I know for certain that Ryan and Jana would be very disappointed if that were the case.”

“Hear me out,” she laughed, genuinely amused by her older brother’s antics. It was almost childlike and strange to witness the contrast in behavior. Just last night, they had witnessed seriousness and the sheer power these beings possessed, not to mention the wings.

 _Damn_ , _the wings._

She had almost, _almost_ managed to get them out of her mind, but holy crap, that had been a flash of divinity she had been unprepared for. Thankfully, she was not the only one. Apparently, Rossi had told them that, after they had all left to do their respective tasks, he had – absolutely to his own horror – absentmindedly started to gently caress Raphael’s back as if hoping to touch the feathers indirectly. Raphael had been very understanding, but the experienced profiler was still deeply mortified. Nobody mocked him for it, however; Emily could just imagine the same thing happening to her. She had dreamed of these things.

The feathers had looked so very…. touchable, like the softest of silk, and warm, and glowing with an inhuman light. If they had not had regular contact to Lucifer’s brand of power, they probably would have had a heart attack in the face of the wings. Thinking of them alone was enough to agitate her anew.

“I’m hearing,” said Lucifer mockingly, still outraged.

“The idea was for you to accept her daughter as your own, for you to help raise her. She even looks a bit like you, apparently, although both of her parents are blondes and blue-eyed,” she added, grinning at the implications of it all. “After her death, her soul could have become a vessel allowing her to rule Hell in your absence, letting you permanently retire.”

Lucifer was genuinely surprised. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Are they still human?”

“As of now, yes. Blessed, but human. Without you connecting to the family, nothing of that will happen. The girl would have liked to rule Hell, though, _baba_ told me. Apparently, she currently dreams of ruling Mars of all planets.”

“Well, both of her parents are quite ambitious, so that isn’t surprising,” said Lucifer firmly and Emily tried to remember Espinoza’s demeanor, “but no, I could never let anyone do that job for me, definitely not somebody I cared for and helped raise. It would be wrong. How could Dad be ignorant of that?”

“It used to be a possible path, but it has long closed,” was the gentle reply. “The moment he saw you with your humans, he realized what you truly wished and desired, and he realized that pure, sterile Light isn’t that. “

“Thank the stars we were there then,” said Emily, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest. Sure, some of the supernatural occurrences were quite hard to accept and what had happened since returning to Washington DC was hard to take ( _an angel had altered her perception and memory, and it scared her_ ) or even comprehend ( _the wings, the beautiful wings that haunted her dreams_ ), but the thought of not knowing Lucifer at all was galling; he had made them all better people, and had improved the dynamics within the team: Hotch trusted them more with his personal issues, Rossi and Emily had finally been able to fully integrate, Reid had found someone who understood him on an intellectual level, both JJ and Morgan were starting to come to terms with their respective trauma (and she still was unsure what Morgan’s trauma was; she just knew that it existed).

Lucifer’s expression to that was soft, “Thank you, Agent Prentiss.”

“That b- _woman_ ,” she corrected herself, “would have made your life miserable.”

“You’re biased,” said Lucifer. “I’m sure she would have been a perfectly acceptable companion as long as she didn’t know who I was.”

“She deceived Prentiss and nearly had me killed on the job,” interjected Morgan passionately. “You bet your ass we’re biased. You’re so much better off without her.”

A very devilish grin appeared on Lucifer’s face, “And going off with you, instead? Vanity, my dear agents, is a sin.”

“With anyone but her,” said Emily. She could just see it. She had not seen it before because her own bias as a fellow female in law enforcement. Emily knew Lucifer well enough; he would have changed for Decker’s sake. He would have given all the control to her because maintaining control was her primary desire. At first, he would have pestered her because of her brightness; he had been so starved of Light, he would have projected all that was good and holy into her, put her on a pedestal not even a saint could reach; and Chloe Decker was not a saint.

She could see the unhealthy relationship form with Decker forcing him to be what she wanted and to be more human and him looking to her for guidance in terms of humanity. She shuddered at the thought. Perhaps at first, the relationship would have remained purely professional, but as soon as their relationship became personal – and Emily knew how impossible it was to remain on an impersonal basis with the devil – dynamics would shift. Chloe Decker was a dominant personality type and Lucifer very much loved to submit as long as it did not clash with his strict moral code. The Lucifer she had met would have disappeared into whatever Decker desired. Emily did not doubt that there was the danger for that with any partner that Lucifer chose, which was why he needed to be around many different personalities and people that encouraged him to be himself. She believed (and hoped) that they could provide the necessary environment for that, and she was quite sure he was happy with them. She doubted Decker could have made him happy.

Her musings were interrupted by the arrival of Raphael, Reid and Rossi.

“Jophiel,” said Raphael, surprised, but not angry as he had been with Azrael the night before.

“Why didn’t you call me?” was the other angel’s sharp question. “I was on Earth, I could have helped.”

“At the time, I wasn’t sure how Father would react to my interv-“

“I don’t care,” interrupted Jophiel. “You-“

_“Stop it.”_

Lucifer’s voice was heavy with power and emotion. He looked rather upset, “I don’t know how long things have been tense among siblings, but I don’t want you to fight. Not because of my fight with Dad. Not because of my Fall. This was between the two of us. I kept you children out of it for a bloody reason. I never wanted there to be _sides_. So, stop it, please, it breaks my heart.”

Lucifer rebuke caused the two younger angels to look apologetic. Before saying anything else, he folded his hand in a prayer position and closed his eyes. Whatever he communicated, it was apparently addressed to all angels because both Jophiel and Raphael lowered their gaze.

When Lucifer unfolded his hands, Jophiel asked, “Want us to leave you alone, too?”

“No,” sighed Lucifer. “Of course not. I’m glad to see you, young one.” With that, he kissed the top of her head. It was different from what he had done with Muriel, Raphael or even Azrael. “I hope Remy and Gabe aren’t feeling too bad about it all.”

“They’re feeling a bit adrift, what with having misinterpreted _baba_ ’s will so profoundly, and Gabe’s particularly sorry for having been involved in last night’s events, however marginally,” said Jophiel.

“I’m guessing you’re not going to press charges against your family then,” stated Chief Monroe from behind Emily. Her conversation with Decker had therefore ended.

“No,” said Lucifer. “What is your decision, Chief Monroe?”

“Don’t you want to know what she said to defend herself?”

“ _’His family assured me they had no wish to kill him but that they wished to make sure he could no longer rope innocents into his schemes.’_ ”

“This was a private conversation, Mr. Morningstar.”

Lucifer laughed at that, “Oh right, good luck. What are your thoughts, Chief Monroe?”

“Are you from a crime family?”

“No, but if I were, I wouldn’t tell you, now would I?”

“It’s just… Decker thinks you’re dangerous and your finances don’t add up, and she’s a damn good detective. If nothing else, I can trust in that.”

“He was cleared by the FBI,” interfered Hotch sharply before Lucifer could make another teasing remark.

“Because the FBI has never worked with questionable individuals if it served their purpose,” replied Monroe sarcastically, but her next words were defeated. “Look, I’ve had my ears out. The Vatican is very close to striking a deal with the DA,” she glanced at Rossi and Reid, “or have already finished the transaction. Kinley is the main instigator of this mess. If Morningstar’s family and Kinley get away with a slap on the wrist, it is only fair for my detective to get the same treatment.”

Emily felt a moment of incredulous outrage, but thankfully, it was Hotch who gave the police chief a look that saw right through that bullshit excuse, “She knows the law better than anyone else involved. Even if she thought she was bringing down a crime syndicate, she should have informed her superiors. Besides, she worked with the very people she believed were part of said crime family. Admittedly, undercover cases are not my specialty, but Agent Morgan, does any of this sound like proper procedure to you?”

“Nope,” smiled Morgan. He was definitely enjoying this.

“She’ll be sacked after this,” said Monroe, “all I’m asking is your discretion. This is politics, too, and unlike you, I thrive in that.” It sounded like a warning and Emily was torn between annoyance and respect. Worst thing was, she liked Monroe, but their goals clashed rather viciously and she found that having that lady as an opponent was not particularly desirable. “In fact,” she continued. “I might have called in some newfound favor.”

As she said that, Hotch’s phone rang.

“Who is it?” asked Morgan, his smile disappearing gradually.

“Senator Wallas is quite taken with Decker,” said Monroe coolly, “and she met with us right before she went to the club to _seduce_ Morningstar. Even if she didn’t give a damn, she wouldn’t wish to be connected to this whole mess. She’s part of the committee overseeing the Justice Department.”

And that, Emily was reminded, was the reason she detested politics; the ‘I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine’ moments, the ‘look the other way’ games. She had hated them for as long as she was old enough to understand them.

“Well played,” smiled Lucifer, delighted, “though if DC connections is what you’re after, you should come to my club. That is where you will find everything you ever desired.”

“Right now, your club is in shambles,” said she, bemused by the genuine invitation.

“Ah,” Lucifer waved that comment away dismissively, “these repairs will be done in no time. The club will reopen within the week. You are most welcome.”

“Morningstar, you’re aware I’m actively working against a case that involves an injustice done to you,” she looked genuinely puzzled and again, Lucifer just dismissed the remark in the same manner as before.

“You play to win and Detective Decker losing would seriously threaten your career. I understand and I honestly don’t care.”

“You don’t care?” she repeated incredulously.

“Chief Monroe.”

Emily knew that tone. It never failed to break her heart. The devil should not sound so tired.

“Think about who else is involved in this. Do you honestly think I care in the slightest that some woman I met a handful of times tried to hurt me when the majority of my siblings cheered her on while doing so?”

“That doesn’t mean she should get away with this,” said Mazikeen who was approaching them with Dromos in tow. Emily had no idea what they had been doing, and if she was particularly honest with herself, she did not want to ask. While Dromos seemed like a particularly dangerous cinnamon roll filled with loyalty to Lucifer, Mazikeen actually scared her. She was ruthless and awesome and absolutely terrifying.

“Mazikeen,” said Chief Monroe. “I didn’t know you were in DC.”

“I’m here for Lucifer.”

This sounded like a reminder as if she had told Chief Monroe that her loyalty to the LAPD went as far as it did not clash with her duty to the devil.

Their eyes met and Chief Monroe nodded, “I understand.”

“If you did, you probably would’ve run for the hills, Olivia,” smiled Mazikeen. “You’re currently standing between the source of my fury and justice.”

“Fine!” exclaimed Lucifer, clearly exasperated. “Really, why is everyone so angry? It’s not like she could have killed me. But if you truly can find no peace without her being punished, so be it. I wish to talk to her, Chief Monroe, and I swear not touch a hair on her head. May I? Agents Prentiss and Morgan will be joining me, but I would prefer this to be a private conversation.”

“If this means you will leave her alone after that-“ began the police chief, only for Hotch to quickly reassure her that if Lucifer could talk to her, and as long as she could never work as a detective again, they would agree with Senator Wallas’ and her wishes. After all, they did support the general cause if not the way Agent Monroe was willing to compromise her own integrity. He did not say that last part, but Emily knew him, his expression said it all. Chief Monroe could not read Hotch as well, but she still understood the underlying message and nodded.

“I’m not enjoying this any more than you do, Agent Hotchner,” said she coolly. “I agree to these terms.”

Lucifer was already through the door and Emily followed with Morgan right behind her. The surprise in Decker’s expression was not worth the miserable affair, but Emily was glad to observe it nonetheless.

“Hello, detective,” said Lucifer, his smile wide and just a little sharp.

She did not say anything in return and refused to meet his eyes.

Lucifer rolled his eyes at that, “I only have one question, really: how stupid do you think I am?” He paused. When she did not answer, he continued, “I cannot, for the life of you, understand why you would risk so much to bring me down. What made you think you could? I may have never gone against Dad’s original decree quite as thoroughly as with my decision to stay on Earth this time around, but other than that, I’ve been playing this game for a long time. What made you think you could change anything?”

Decker was silent before she said defiantly, “Your brother said he blessed-“

“-your parents for you to have you, thus you are a miracle and the equivalent of a beautiful trap for me to step into? That I would be attracted to your Light like prey to an anglerfish? But, Detective Decker,” he looked genuinely confused. “You are not a predator. You cannot devour me; I would have needed to make the conscious decision to let you, and I’ve never placed my heart and peace of mind into the hands of people that fear me. Even seduction wouldn’t have worked for I invented the art after all. I would have seen through the lie at some point. So, why?”

She remained silent, meeting his eyes stubbornly.

“I see, ‘burn the witch’ it is,” concluded Lucifer. “I’m actually quite glad you’re being honest. After all, you could claim that it was only through my siblings that you wished to stop me, but they were just an excuse, weren’t they? You already made up your mind that I must die. Only problem is: in the here and now, there is still only one entity that can. You must be aware of that.”

Again, she did not say anything. Suddenly, Emily realized that she was looking toward the cameras, and she stiffened, but before she could warn Lucifer, he chuckled, “Ah, enormously stupid, then. I was there when electricity was invented, had a very keen interest in helping with that, actually. All that the microphones and cameras are currently picking up is static. Now, I’m sure Amenadiel has informed you that without Dad’s blessing, you wouldn’t be sitting here.”

She remained silent.

“You’re lucky. Being in Dad’s favor usually has dire consequences, whether you’re cast from Heaven or crucified, he likes to ponder just how reciprocated his devotion is, thus defeating its purpose.” He was smiling as he said that, teeth bared and his expression cold. She was glad to see it; his father did not deserve his consideration or instant forgiveness. “Now, being blessed with Dad’s Grace is another matter entirely, and it’s quite fascinating. He accepts our blessings – angelic blessings that usually emerge from our domains – but he rarely instigates them. He performs them himself on even rarer occasions, but since you’re not _that_ special, I’m not talking about these exceptions. Being the result of a blessing makes you… well, still human, but you can also be tried by Celestial Laws pertaining angels rather than humans. Ignorance of law is not an acceptable defense as you well know, but I thought I should let you know that company policy changed last night. If you go after me again, you won’t get away with it as easily as you did today… If Mazikeen and Dromos don’t get to you first, that is.”

Emily frowned. That did not sound like punishment to her; it sounded rather like he was giving some advice.

“If this was only about me, I would be perfectly satisfied to let things rest at this. I wasn’t harmed, you were being an idiot and scared, and decided to go directly for the throat like the ruthless detective that you are when on your quest for justice. Unfortunately, you’ve also lied to my friends, you risked the lives of my staff members and your actions nearly had Ms. Lawrence and possibly her father killed, albeit indirectly. How far would you have gone? Would you have been willing to directly hurt a human to get to me? Would you have hurt people I care about to draw me out?”

“Never!” exclaimed Decker and she sounded genuinely horrified. “Never.”

“But you must think me cruel enough that I absolutely would place a human between the two of us. If my siblings hadn’t shown up, what did you and Father Kinley plan for me? I’m honestly curious. Considering just how foolish you think me to be, you must admit that you have outdone me in terms of stupidity.” The zinger landed mostly because Lucifer looked genuinely puzzled. “Anyway, we have lying, conspiracy to murder and the danger of negligent homicide for a start. Tell me, Detective, since you are obviously the authority on justice and crime, how would you punish another soul committing the same crimes?”

His head was tilted and Emily did not even bother to hide her gleeful expression.

“I-“ began Decker, but then she shook her head. “What company policy?”

“Dad cast me out causing injuries that could not be equaled even if you murdered me ten thousand times over using hundreds of different methods. Dad injured me so grievously, so wholly and mutilated me so profoundly that nothing anyone else ever did to me could hope to measure up. How could anyone be punished for doing what _God_ had done much more efficiently?”

“That’s not what Father Kinley…”

The laughter that interrupted her was sharp and cold, “From an uncritical atheist to a warrior nun of the Catholic Church in less than a year, Detective? The Catholic Church is one of the biggest fan clubs out there justifying Dad’s most irrational moments. You fell for propaganda, a long-lasting campaign for human standards and an efficient one, but propaganda nevertheless, instigated mostly by my siblings who, if not endorsed then certainly tolerated, my vilification. All that doesn’t make your actions any more acceptable. Now, I don’t enjoy repeating myself. What is your sentence? How to punish ungraceful behavior such as lying and conspiring without truly understanding what is going on… not to mention wishing to kill someone for rather base motives for you have no evidence for me deserving a death sentence. You followed mob rule and now you’re facing celestial justice for it. Bur here I am asking you how you would go about this.”

“Nothing I say will have an effect on what you’ll do,” said she coolly.

“No,” agreed Lucifer, chuckling gleefully, “but it’ll be amusing to see you try.”

“I’m not giving you the satisfaction,” she retorted. Her face was void of all emotion. “I made mistakes, but so far you haven’t shown me any evidence that you’re not the creature from horror stories and what you call church propaganda. In fact, you remind me of Al Pacino’s devil.”

“Again with the rape!” hissed Lucifer. “Al Pacino’s devil rapes young Charlize Theron’s character, and he has the gall to brag about it. I’ve never touched anyone who didn’t consent to it.”

“You’re sleeping with them under false pretenses,” she countered.

“What pretense? I tell them I’m the devil.”

“They don’t believe you.”

“I never claim to be someone I’m not. I’m not going to provide proof for the existence of the divine whenever I’m with a lover. For one, it’s not particularly good for their own peace of mind as you’ve probably noticed, and we shouldn’t be interacting too much with humans in the first place. However, the people who need to know, are fully aware of my identity. You were definitely on the bottom of the list of people I would have told willingly, but here we are. I don’t mean you any harm, but you will face the consequences of your actions.”

“And what will that be?”

“It’s both punishment and proof of principle,” said he. “You are blessed by the Grace of God; I cannot remove said blessing without Dad agreeing with my judgment. By your recent actions and your willingness to endanger innocents – however unintentionally – you’ve proven yourself unworthy of a celestial blessing. Thus, it should be removed from you altogether.” The moment he finished speaking, Decker swallowed dryly and paled visibly as if overcome by a sudden bout of nausea. Lucifer noticed and said, “That answers it, then. No worries, Detective, you’ll feel normal again soon.” His expression gentled before he continued, “You have my sympathies, though. It is hard to lose Heaven’s blessing. I should know. In my case, more Falling was involved, but I do understand the pain.”

“I don’t need your pity,” she spat through gritted teeth, her face still ashen white. “What happens now?”

“I’m assuming that Chief Monroe will fire you and will otherwise protect you from any backlash for her own reasons, but as far as we’re concerned, all debts are paid and you can spend the rest of your life without ever having to lay eyes on me again.”

She looked pale enough that Emily was afraid she would pass out, “And this?”

“As I said, it’ll pass quickly enough. Think of a blessing as a personal rabbit’s foot. If you think ‘luck of the devil’ is a real thing, you have no idea what Dad’s blessings can do. You’ve run out of celestial luck now, though. I dried the well, so to speak. You’ll have to entirely rely and good, old human effort and connections for whatever career path you choose next. Dad’s blessing won’t back you up.”

“I’ve worked hard to get where I am tod…” she interrupted herself. Her career was over and they all knew it.

“I never said you didn’t,” said Lucifer, “I never said you didn’t have to go through a lot of hazing for being a good-looking former actress turned lady cop, I’m just saying that now, you’re on your own as to how things turn out.”

“My father was shot!” she snapped angrily and had to swallow thickly, apparently to avoid getting sick.

“What does that have to do with anything?” was Lucifer’s cool reply. “Dad had your parents blessed to have you. The blessing went into you, so your father wasn’t protected by any means and while it was a tragic event, his death has nothing to do with you.”

“He was my father,” said she, her eyes filled with tears. “He was my whole world and he was taken from me. How dare you?”

“So what? Just because you were lucky as far as your choices go doesn’t mean that your loved ones are protected in any way. While it is unlikely for you to be hit by a random car, the ones around you are just as likely to be hurt as any other unblessed creature on the planet.” Bitterly, Lucifer chuckled. “Being blessed is not for the faint of heart. In a way, you’re lucky too. At least you won’t outlive most of your loved ones. Farewell, Detective. I wish I could say it was a pleasure.” With that, he turned and left without another word.

“How can you believe him?” asked Decker staring at them incredulously. “How can you trust a word he says?”

“Because he’s literally older than dirt, yet he asks for our opinion,” answered Emily confidently, and looked to Morgan for another nail in her coffin.

“Because if I were him, I would have long stopped enforcing laws that haven’t done him any favors. Good luck,” said he. “I have a feeling you’ll need it.”

They walked out and crossed path with a very unhappy Chief Monroe.

“How’s it going out there?” asked Emily JJ.

“Fine,” said JJ. “I get where she’s coming from and I guess, if Lucifer dealt a sentence, we shouldn’t pursue this issue further.”

“Indeed you shouldn’t,” said Lucifer cheerfully. “But there’s still the issue with the priest.”

“Got a taste of it, haven’t you?” grinned Mazikeen. “Good. What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that you and Dromos deserve a treat for outstanding loyalty,” said Lucifer. The demons perked up at that, and a shiver ran down Emily’s spine. The air in the room suddenly seemed stifling. “Go out an play. Raise Hell.”

“Yes, my lord,” said Mazikeen, her grin unnaturally wide. “No actual harm, I presume.”

“No physical harm,” said Lucifer. “He wanted to play with hellfire, now let’s see if he can actually deal with it.” His eyes were very dark and both demons bowed – Mazikeen by nodding her head jerkily briefly and Dromos by actually lowering his head – and walked away quickly.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” asked Raphael.

“You’ve told me all day and given me all the reasons why I absolutely should punish Kinley,” countered Lucifer. “Now that I do, you wish me to revise my verdict?”

“No,” said Raphael. “But shouldn’t you personally…?”

“I’ve sent Hell’s finest after him. That’s already more attention than he deserves. I’m not giving him my time of day. Did you do as I asked, Agent Rossi?”

“Yes, Reid and I talked to the spooked priests. They’re… still spooked. Jim is uncertain about last night’s events and I’m not sure how to alleviate his fears.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes, “Wonderful. I’m not going to play therapist for a bunch of Dad’s servants. That’s his mess to deal with, or one of my siblings. I don’t care who, but easing humans’ hearts isn’t part of my domain.”

“Let me take care of that,” said Raphael gently, and a bit amused. “It _is_ my domain and I will happily take a couple of young ones with me.”

“Enough of being angry, Brother?” asked Lucifer softly.

“I’m still angry with various family members involved, but I have no wish to cause you any additional pain. Unlike punishment, this is something I know how to deal with.”

Lucifer didn’t say anything, simply touched his shoulder slightly before the younger archangel walked away. “Where _is_ Dr. Reid and where… oh no.”

With that, he quickly strode away.

Alarmed, Emily and Morgan followed with the rest of the team right behind them.

“Everything alright?” asked Morgan voicing their worry.

Lucifer flung the doors open to leave the police station and exclaimed, “There you are.”

There they were. Jophiel was smoking a cigarette talking to Reid who looked like Christmas had come early.

Whatever Reid had just told her, she was as much into the conversation as he was, “Oh dearie, we’re fast. Faster than you can believe. Don’t turn your back, don’t look away and don’t blink.”

It sounded like a horrific threat and Emily was ready to ask what the hell was going, but Reid looked utterly delighted, “You’re a fan of Doctor Who!”

“Sweetheart, I have inspired storylines for it,” she grinned. “Any additional questions about angel wings?”

“So, your wings work in the physical world, but also help transdimensional travel, I mean they have to, since you travel between Heaven and Earth, and what Lucifer hasn’t explained yet, is how this universe is built and where Heaven and Hell fit in.”

“Of course he didn’t,” said she, still smiling. Her eyes landed on a distinctly amused Lucifer who was also taking out a cigarette and lit it, while offering her a fresh one, which she declined wordlessly. “You see, my brother likes to keep them guessing. While he will always give some information, he’s also Light and aware of its dangers. He’ll never tell you everything because he doesn’t want to hurt you. Teaching isn’t his domain.”

“I will have you know that I trained my two nestlings very well,” Lucifer defended himself.

“I never said you weren't a good father,” was Jophiel's amused reply and Lucifer's response to that comment was a full-body flinch.

“I rather think I'm far too much like Dad to be a good father,” said he stiffly. "That is why I never wish to have children of my own."

Jophiel looked apologetic, “You are not _baba_.”

“Close enough, unfortunately.”

“Oh!” said Reid, too wrapped up in whatever he had talked with Jophiel to properly read the tension floating about. “I get it now. Raphael and Azrael are your nestlings, basically the two siblings where you had a hand in their upbringing. However, Jophiel, you are not one of his nestlings, rather you are a nestling of Remiel and Gabriel, which makes sense if we consider that Remiel has visions of the future and Gabriel needs to interpret and communicate the will of your father. Interpreting data and conferring knowledge is your domain, but you would have fit under Lucifer’s wing to, or Raphael’s, which is why both of them feel a responsibility for you. Lucifer, whose nestling… I hope for your sake it was Raguel.”

“It was,” said Lucifer gently and notably pained. “Amenadiel’s nestlings were Uriel and Remiel. Raguel’s was me. Michael’s was Gabriel. Mine were Raphael and Azrael. Remiel and Gabriel had a few, but Jophiel was their first. Each had their own nestlings after that.”

Jophiel’s head on the other hand, was tilted in a manner so familiar to Lucifer’s that Emily had no doubt that Jophiel was Lucifer’s closest sibling next to his aforementioned nestlings. Lucifer stepped decidedly between the angel and their colleague.

“No matter how bright he is, brother dearest. That is one of mine,” she said happily.

“I have no intention of keeping you two apart, as long as someone makes sure you have someone to remind him to sleep, eat and drink… and not to discuss the makeup of the universe in the middle of a police investigation.”

“I don’t need a chaperone to deal with mortals, I’ve been doing it much more frequently than you… with a living mortal, at least,” she amended.

“What about a mortal fully aware of your identity, who will gobble down every bit of information you are willing to give, who will understand an impressive amount of it and whose awareness of our existence is ordained by dear old Dad?” asked Lucifer.

“Good point,” said she, after a moment of silence. “I look forward to having many more discussions, Dr. Reid. For next time, read everything you can about gravity, gravitational waves and,” she sighed, “interdimensional travel. The last one is hubris for the most part, but it’ll help our discussion. The first topic is entitled ‘angel wings to travel from Heaven to Earth and back’ starting with the definition of Heaven, Earth, the physical universe and angel wings. Maybe in six months, we’ll be able to talk about traveling from Earth to Heaven.”

Her facial expression reminded Emily of every tough lecture she had ever had in college combined. Jophiel looked like the personification of every cool yet utterly terrifying prof she ever had the pleasure to meet. Reid on the other hand looked delighted, “Thank you!”

“Always,” said she, smiling. “For now, though, I have duties to attend to.” With that, she wrapped her arms around Lucifer’s waist and squeezed his side. “See you soon, big brother. Love you.”

Stunned, he stiffened looking down at the shorter angel, but he did not reply instantly, instead he returned the gesture and held on for another couple of moments. For Jophiel, that appeared to be enough.

* * *

Soon after, Emily was tasked with driving Lucifer back to Astra. While they all knew he was no longer in any danger, FBI regulations required that at least one field agent stayed with the devil until this was officially wrapped up. With Decker now being officially Monroe’s problem and Kinley and the order being taken care of by the Vatican (and two overtly protective demons), and Lucifer’s family out of the picture for now, things should be normal by the end of the week. Emily would be taking over Saturday, Morgan would be here on Sunday and Reid agreed to take the entire week because there was a big construction site near his apartment that was slowly driving him insane.

 _“I can barely focus,”_ he had said resentfully. _“It gives me a headache. I could only read one book since Tuesday.”_

 _“Kid, you were on a case for most of it,”_ Morgan had interjected incredulously, but Lucifer had very happily invited Reid into his home.

Lucifer seemed quite thrilled at the prospect of having members of the team closer. He had already asked his staff to prepare a guest room for her, and he was stacking Reid’s room with books; he told her in detail how he had it all planned, and Emily felt a wave of affection for this caring angel. Seeing him like that made them agree to having a movie night later today once things were wrapped up.

Emily marveled at Lucifer’s confidence and cheerfulness mere hours after devastation and heartbreak had quite literally driven him on his knees crying his eyes out the night before. Now that was a memory she could have done without. Seeing him that broken in the face of his family’s prosecution of him, its sudden change of mind and his siblings’ immediate responses had brought her to tears.

Watching him hesitate before entering Astra was a stark reminder that his personal space had been violated by his own family. No wonder he wanted them near him. Deep in thought, he looked up at the building and then he frowned, “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” asked Emily, her hand reflexively closing in on her gun.

Instead of answering, he approached the entrance where security was missing, and Emily’s heart skipped a beat. She already readied her phone for backup, only to nearly walk into Seth.

“Sorry, boss,” said he, “had to help carry something heavy.”

“You shouldn’t be here. It’s your day off,” was all Lucifer said.

“We decided to have all hands on deck.”

They entered the club to the bustling sound of many people cleaning up shattered glass, removing debris and rightening chairs and stables. Organizers were Candy and Frank, helpers included every staff member Lucifer had, the entire choir of Saint Mary’s Chapel and several members of the congregation whom Emily had seen here before, others she was seeing today for the first time.

“Hello,” said Lucifer, his smile less charming than usual because confusion was written all over his face.

“Hi, dear,” said Candy walking over to him and holding out her hand, which he took guiding her elegantly toward him so he could put a gentle, non-possessive arm around her. “With all that mess yesterday, Ryan, Frank and I decided that you need to be surrounded by people that love and care about you, and that somebody should be cleaning up the mess before you return. That last bit didn’t quite work, and there’s some damage that goes beyond our skills, but apparently, Agent Morgan knows a number of contractors, so by Monday, your club is up and running again.”

“That is very kind of you. What about my guests?”

“Shaken, but most will be returning either tonight or tomorrow.”

“And the rest?”

“Well,” said a tall, slim African American man that Emily believed to be Reverend Joseph Butler. Frank was incredibly good at describing people and the mental picture she had formed from his explanation matched well with whom she was seeing now. “Allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Morningstar: Reverend Joseph Butler. We haven’t met yet.”

“Reverend,” acknowledged Lucifer, a bit distant but not mocking, which was a good start. “Allow me to thank you for your spontaneous hospitality.”

“How else could we be hospitable than where it is needed most?” was the genuine reply and Emily liked him already. “Anyway, your guests have left quite an impression on my congregation, and five of them have found permanent lodging and occupation outside of your hospitality. They will return here soon to thank you, however,” he continued.

“Oh.” Lucifer seemed taken aback. “Who?”

Names were said that Emily were not familiar with. She had met quite a few of the people under Lucifer’s protection, but most were rather wary of police and the FBI, so she generally did not get on a first name basis with them. Lucifer was positively surprised by this turn of event, though he would miss them.

“I do owe you an apology, however,” continued Reverend Butler. “While I never outright spoke out against our choir’s presence here, I certainly did not encourage it. In an arrogant assumption to know better than Shandra, Daniel and Frank as well as the rest of the choir, I could not imagine that anything good could ever come from someone bearing the name Lucifer. I do hope you will forgive my prejudice.”

“What has changed your mind?” Lucifer asked instead.

“Meeting your guests, seeing Michelle’s and Frank’s concern for your safety, seeing the choir’s readiness to help you. Don’t get me wrong, my congregation is the best I could have hoped for, but what they’ve readily done is something you do for family, not a friendly acquaintance.”

“Family, in my experience, shuns you, hurts you, despises you for no other reason than the head of the family remaining silent. I don’t need a family, Reverend,” said the devil coldly. “That being said, I would not wish to change what I have for the world.” His harsh tone softened and his eyes surveyed the room full of people laughing, helping each other and having a good time.

“Where’s Ryan?”

“Supply run,” answered Frank. “He initiated and organized the whole ‘operation’ practically the moment you left,” Emily could hear the air quotes as he used the military term. “Now he’s off getting food.”

“From what he told me, he’s used to oversee chaos and destruction,” said Lucifer. “He’s probably enjoying himself quite a bit.”

“He did say something about it being nice to help with a site that did not have to be screened for landmines and other explosives first,” said Candy.

“Speak of the devil,” grinned Lucifer, his head turning toward the entrance. Contrary to what she expected, Ryan did not enter the club a second later, but if Lucifer heard him, it would only be a matter of time.

“Seriously?” laughed Emily at the turn of phrase.

“Too on the nose?” said he.

“Yep,” confirmed Candy cheerfully, “but we love you anyway.”

Lucifer held her just a bit closer for that, but he made no reply. Ryan entered the building with Murad, Sophie, Tara, Kirsten and Seth who had joined his boyfriend and the three waitresses in order to help carry the impressive amount of takeout into the building.

“Food’s here,” said Ryan, his voice effortlessly carrying through the noisy room and everyone started pulling up tables and distributing the food with enthusiastic thanks to the suppliers.

“Oh, I can’t wait for dessert,” grinned Lucifer suggestively, but he only pecked the man on the lips. “The kitchen wasn’t destroyed, you know.”

“I know,” concurred Ryan. “But this called for some junk food. I did ask Pedro first, of course, and this has his stamp of approval on it.”

“Thank you,” said Lucifer. His tone implied that he was not talking about the food.

“Anytime.”

“- _give thanks_?” she heard an elderly woman ask the reverend only a few feet away from them.

Lucifer stiffened. The reverend hesitated and looked at Lucifer, “This is your house, Mr. Morningstar. Your rules.”

Silence fell. Many curious glances were aimed at the devil who was staring at nothing in particular. He looked at every person in the room and folded his hands. Emily swallowed dryly and, automatically, followed his lead. Even Ryan, whose misgivings with the church was as great as Morgan’s, folded his hands as well.

“Hey Dad,” said he, causing half of the room to chuckle at the joke, a few who did not know Lucifer too well to frown, Candy to snicker and the rest to hold their breaths in anticipation. “Don’t think I’ve ever thanked you for food before, but then you didn’t make the food, and you haven’t ordered the food, giving thanks to my friends here instead is much more appropriate, wouldn’t you say?” He paused, thinking. “So, what to thank you for? Even though your communication skills are truly awful and I suggest you see a therapist about that – I have recommendations if you want them – I am thankful you gave humans the gift of free will, and for you to have extended that gift to your children. Like any gift from you, this will have consequences, but I do believe that deciding our own path will help us grow in the end. I know I have. Without doing so, Heaven knows I wouldn’t be here with these generous, beautiful people who took in my guests when they had nowhere to go, who came here on a Sabbath – is it Sabbath for you?” asked Lucifer confused, looking at Reverend Butler.

“I never know which church made the Saturday-to-Sunday switch and which did not… Anyway, people who would have had a day off today, who could have spent it anywhere but here, yet they came, without wishing for anything in return.”

Lucifer took a breath.

“It’s strange, you know. I’m used to bargaining and deals, but altruism is still a foreign concept, and I know you’re well-versed in it given the blind faith people put in you.”

Emily bit her lips to keep herself from laughing. She could only imagine the mixture between horror and amusement among those unaware of Lucifer’s true identity. This had to be the most irreverent prayer they had ever heard in their lives.

“I’m grateful for their presence, and even though you have nothing to do with that either, I give you my thanks for what I once ignorantly called a silly side-project. They are amongst your most brilliant creations, yours truly excluded, of course.”

Candy was hiding her face in her hands to keep herself from laughing out loud, but she did jab his arm with her elbow.

“What was I…? So, I cannot thank you for the food, I refuse to thank you for the circumstances that ultimately led me here,” that was spoken in an angry growl, “I cannot thank you for these people making their own choice to help, so my thanks to you is this: Thank you for creating the human soul and thank you for letting them be. If you have a moment, I think charity should be rewarded, so whatever you can come up with for their hospitality and kindness, I’m game. No blessing of foods because that’s just silly, but bless them for the bright souls they are. Bye.” He paused. “Amen.”

The silence that followed mirrored the silence from before with the sole exception that Ryan’s grin was very broad and Candy was shaking with mute laughter. Emily was too distracted looking around to see if she could witness something similar to the blessing given to Henry, but that was not the case. If anything happened at all, it was much subtler.

“Young man,” began the lady who had asked Reverend Butler for the prayer. Her expression was sharp, serious and intelligent, “that was… certainly something. If you were my boy, you’d receive a talking to right now, but I haven’t walked in your shoes, and I won’t judge you for your brazen prayer. Remember though that your family troubles have nothing to do with the Lord. He has little to do with your pain.”

Unsurprisingly, Lucifer scoffed, “Madam, if you were talking to almost anyone else, you would be absolutely correct in your statement.”

Before she could say something else, Frank’s sonorous voice cut through the tension as he cheerfully told everyone to dig in, his eyes fixed on Lucifer worriedly. The devil had not taken offense, though; he seemed to respect her, but then her sheer presence commanded respect.

Introductions were made and Emily had a whole range of names to memorize. The lady’s name was Josephine Bates; before retiring, she had been a nurse at the Children’s National Medical Center. As an African American girl born in 1941 in Savannah, Georgia, she had faced many hardships, and it was clear that whenever she spoke, people around her listened. Only Reverend Butler could claim to command more respect in the local community, and Emily was exceedingly interested in hearing her opinions. In turn, Mrs. Bates was very keen to hear about Emily’s experiences.

“-and now I’ve been with the BAU for more than three years,” she finished with a smile.

“Sounds exciting,” smiled Mrs. Bates, her eyes blazing. “Must be hard, though. When I think FBI, my mind always goes ‘male, white, suit.’” She looked her up and down, “Two out of three means you’re still missing the first and foremost feature of what I associate with the FBI.”

And that was the moment Emily could not help but pour her heart out to the woman she barely knew, telling her about her frustration, the perceived betrayal by a female colleague who was supposed to have been a role model.

“Well, you know what the bible says, Sugar” said the older woman. “I’ve had my fair share of people I idolized in my younger years, but ultimately, they’re just people. They’re fallible. Don’t put them on a pedestal. They cannot hold up to whatever image you conjured of them.” She paused. “That being said, that woman _really_ messed up and you should be angry at her. I do hope she faces the consequences of her actions.”

“She is,” Emily assured, feeling lighter now that she had been able to vent a bit.

“How about some music?” said Mrs. Bates, and Frank almost instantly rose from his seat to sit by the piano, Lucifer right behind him.

They did not really do a lot of cleaning up after that, but Emily knew Lucifer would not have it any other way. He was more than happy to host them, and even played some gospel himself even though he refused to sing.

* * *

“Play it again, please, Ms. Garcia,” cackled Lucifer gleefully just a couple of hours later with the entire team gathered in the penthouse together with his demons, Ryan, Candy and a very flustered Raphael.

“Lucifer…”

“Oh no, this is brilliant,” said he munching on popcorn that Garcia brought. “My baby brother all grown up and furious. Please, again!”

For the third time, with every person in the room grinning widely, Garcia started the tape. She had not promised too little.

_Shortly after Amenadiel and Lucifer disappeared into nothingness (and Emily was so grateful that she had not been there to witness it in person. She probably would have run away in sheer terror at the frankly supernatural display of power), Raphael appeared. The wings were invisible on screen, and she was grateful for it. They might have been out during his initial appearance, but they were hidden away the second his feet touched the ground._

_“Uriel!” thundered Raphael, every bit the archangel he was beneath the surface. “What do you think you are doing?”_

_“The devil must return to its-“_

_“The devil? It? Have you lost your mind? Have the patterns fully taken over your sanity? He is our brother. He –“_

_“Raphael,” began one of the younger angels, but Raphael threw him a look so vicious, the angel could not meet his gaze._

_“Go home,” was all the archangel said, quietly and threateningly. Even filtered through a TV, it made Emily tremble with fear and Lucifer grinned widely enough to resemble the Cheshire Cat. “Foolish children have no place in our brother’s home.”_

_Three of the younger angels vanished without further discussion._

_“If Father opposed to Lucifer’s presence,” continued Raphael, “let him tell us so. Don’t presume to know his intensions. You are as much in the dark about his thoughts as we all are. Father doesn’t suffer fools.”_

_“And that is why Lucif-“_

_“Silence!”_

_Even through the screen, Emily’s hairs on the back of her neck stood up. While Lucifer gleefully cheered on his brother, she just wanted to run. On screen, Uriel visibly flinched._

_“Don’t talk about things you weren’t even present for. There was Mother, Amenadiel, Michael, Father and Lucifer. I was huddled in the background like a frightened_ child _, and I didn’t dare interfere. Don’t think for one second that I will stay aside yet again.”_

_Uriel did not say anything; he looked cowed. Raphael rose to his full height and turned to the two demons on the ground._

_“May I?”_

_“Go ahead,” grunted Mazikeen, in obvious pain._

“You promised movie night,” said Raphael quietly as soon as the video ended.

“Of course,” said Lucifer. “What have you had in mind?”

“No thriller,” said Garcia firmly. “Something light and funny.”

“How about an over-the-top horror comedy?” suggested Candy. “I’m sure Mazikeen and Dromos as well as our tough profilers would appreciate a bit of gore mixed with a lot of humor.” Dromos, who always treated her like a queen, nodded reverently. He was sitting alone but near Lucifer, next to Rossi. Candy had joined Garcia, Morgan and JJ on the couch. Ryan and Lucifer were snuggling on one of the comfy seats. Emily was sitting between Mazikeen and Hotch. Frank and Michelle had not joined, but promised to be there for the next movie night. Raphael was not actually sitting anywhere just yet, though by no lack of Lucifer trying to tempt him into doing so. Apparently, he had duties to attend to, and the devil wished for him to stay.

“You're in luck,” said Lucifer. “I have an immense collection of these kind of comedies. Let's see: Orphan, the Exorcist, Suspiria, the Exorcism of Emily Rose... They are absolutely hilarious, Dromos, you’ll love them. Or perhaps REC? The 28 series part 1 and 2? Evil Dead? Saw? The Omen? There is such diversity of hilarious movies that are called 'horror' and I have them all.” He smiled happily at them.

They all stared at him, with Garcia vigorously shaking her head, then they looked at each other.  
“An old wholesome classic is just fine,” said Emily.  
“Rosemary's Baby is a classic! And hilarious, absolutely impossible and unrealistic, but beautifully acted.”

“How about Casablanca?” suggested Rossi.

“I haven’t actually seen that one,” admitted Lucifer.

“You’re in for a treat then.”

Unsurprisingly, they watched the Marseillaise scene twice. It was good to see four supernatural entities absolutely captivated by a beautiful film.

* * *

“Don't call anyone a devil, because within you, you can experience hell and the devil, and the devil is nothing, but you!”― **Michael Bassey Johnson**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References:  
> https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/civil-rights-movement
> 
> A/N:  
> Thanks to SilverWolf7 for the Doctor who quote, which I paraphrased. Reid’s “I’m a blinker” is a quote from the show.


	17. End Credits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are a few things that have not yet been said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are. End of the story.
> 
> Thank you so much for your support. Next up will be a Devil File Box, a pretty short one, and then we come toe "When Even Fallen Angels Weep" ... The title says it all, really. That one will be full of angst.
> 
> Warning for this chapter:  
> \- Signs of insanity in a character at the end of this chapter.   
> If such content disturbs you, then skip the paragraph that follows this:  
> “Lucifer laughed and purred, “Whatever you desire.””  
> The last two paragraphs are okay.  
> \- @SilverWolf7: You won't like what I have written for Chloe. Apologies, dear, but it fits, at least in my opinion.

The Vatican followed through with its promise and invited Lucifer himself to go through the things that the _Adversarius_ Order had ‘acquired’ over the years. Derek wondered what the poor fellow tasked with inviting Lucifer had done to anger his superiors because he looked like a lamb sent for slaughter, though more cowed by Raphael’s near-constant presence than Lucifer’s who found the whole situation absolutely hilarious.

“A warehouse?” repeated Raphael with a frown. “Why not the parish?”

“It was considered more proper to give Mr. … Morningstar the opportunity to avoid consecrated ground,” said the Vatican representative who had obviously pulled the short straw.

“Please, if it were this easy to burn me, Dad’s actions would have been nothing short of overkill. Pity though, I love flirting with nuns.”

“Lucifer…” sighed Emily. It was true. He truly did, but he was also rather playful about it. He never flirted when the other person was uncomfortable with it, which was probably usually the case for nuns, with few exceptions, to which he was probably referring. With Emily’s half-amused, half-exasperated reaction, Lucifer decided to get just a bit more serious.

“Lead the way, _padre_ ,” said Lucifer causing the younger man to flinch, which was a bit ridiculous because at this point, Lucifer was not even trying to scare him.

“You return to your patients,” said the devil quietly to his brother on the way out.

“If you think for one moment that I’m leaving you alone with them, you’re mistaken.”

“Protecting me or them?” chuckled Lucifer.

“Can’t it be both?” said Raphael. “They can’t hurt you, but that doesn’t mean they cannot cause you any harm.”

“And that is why we’re joining as well,” said Mazikeen, strapped in what could only be called full demon armor consisting mostly of leather.

Lucifer looked to her, “No, you won’t.” This was not a point of discussion. “You’re going to book that flight back to Ireland where Dromos will bring back the body to where he found it, so that he can resume his duties in Hell.”

“Lucifer…” began Mazikeen.

“I’m not going to change my mind,” said Lucifer. “You have a life of your own and Dromos must return. Hell only knows what Loki has been planning for the last centuries.” Dromos lowered his head, ashamed. “Don’t look like that. The two of us on a road trip together, isn’t that something you’ve always wanted?”

“You’ll travel with me?” asked the demon hopefully.

“Yes.”

“Then come, Mazikeen, we must commandeer a flight,” said the demon.

“Book. It’s ‘book’ a flight, and we’ll do that online. I’m not leaving, Lucifer, not with Amenadiel going AWOL.”

“He’s not AWOL,” said Lucifer rolling his eyes. “He’s just stuck in the Nine Realms finding his way back. If I’m lucky, he won’t be bothering me for a while. Anyway, he’s far too obedient to Dad’s decrees. Even if he shows up, he won’t be a threat to me.”

“He stood by while Uriel directly broke your father’s laws,” she countered.

“Point, but you cannot stay with me forever. For one, Dr. Linda would not be very happy with me.”

“She’ll understand.”

“ _Mazikeen.”_

“It’s making me weak!” exclaimed the demon and Derek realized that their conversation had contained multiple layers.

“Caring isn’t a weakness,” was Lucifer’s reply. “Relaxing and connecting isn’t a weakness.”

“I need to go back to a regular training schedule,” was her only comment to that. “They kicked my ass on Friday night. I’m not letting them again.”

“Monday nights, whenever you’re in town or when I’m in LA,” was all Lucifer said. “Bring weapons.”

“It’s a deal,” nodded Mazikeen, satisfied.

Excitement went through Derek at that statement, “Tell me we can watch!”

Her dark eyes practically glowed and a shiver went through him. He was afraidof her, but there was no point in denying just how attractive she was, and if she were a stranger, he would have spent the night with her already.

“You can even touch,” she grinned.

“Before we give the poor man with a celibacy pledge a heart attack, let’s move,” said Lucifer and he guided Raphael, Emily and Derek outside ignoring the Vatican representative. They were alone in Lucifer’s baby (Corvette) when the devil mentioned the earlier scene again, “I do hope her flirting didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“We sweet-talk each other all the time, man” said Derek. “We mustn’t now, though, because Garcia will know we did and she won’t be pleased that she couldn’t join.” He was trying to keep things light between them, but it was quite obvious that Lucifer’s thoughts were elsewhere. He also realized that Lucifer’s rather uncharacteristic defense of the clergyman honor had actually more to do with Derek than the Vatican representative.

“But that’s just for fun. Mazikeen was being serious.”

“Well, you needn’t worry about me then,” chuckled Derek. “I don’t sleep with people that are in relationships with others.” At least not if he was aware of it. He had had some nasty surprises in the past with former lovers telling him about husbands and boyfriends after the fact. It never failed to make him uncomfortable, and made him feel used.

“Good,” said Lucifer. “Of course, a little kink is always wonderful, but while the two of you are the kind of tumble I’d personally fantasize about, some things are better left to the imagination. Mazikeen isn’t gentle with men.”

“What brought this on?” asked Derek, confused.

“She’ll be around more, I just want to make sure nobody gets hurt,” said Lucifer thoughtfully.

“Okay, I’ve missed something,” admitted the profiler.

“Dromos beat her when they met and needed to let off some steam. Then, my siblings defeated her after being trapped by a trick she should have recognized. Mazikeen is Hell’s finest and she’s proud of it, and now that pride is bruised.”

He paused before continuing, “She’s my oldest companion and friend. She… Without her, I would have gone off the rails eons ago. Back then, she was my only hold on my sanity; a living creature that I cared about. If she hadn’t stuck with me…” he shook his head. “She’s the main reason why I made it through my Fall without committing unforgivable crimes. And now it’s time for me to be there for her in return. She needs me to need her and I do, but not for protection or as a guardian but as my friend. Yet, if I say that I need her, she’ll leave LA in a heartbeat, but she needs that, too, that slice of life outside of the hellish vortex I represent, and I mean ‘hellish’ in the best of sense.”

“She’s in a relationship with your therapist,” pointed out Derek.

“Yeah well, baby steps,” Lucifer shrugged his shoulders. “And I hope that regular sparring sessions will rekindle what she might feel is no longer there.”

“You’re getting good at this,” said Derek. “Interpersonal relationships. You’re getting damn good at them.”

“Oh, thank you,” smiled the devil, genuinely touched. “Learning from the best.”

His trust in them would never cease to be humbling. They arrived at the warehouse five minutes later and they were all curious to what they would find. There were dozens of notebooks ordered with a complex filing system that was based on both geographical and temporal data. While Derek decided to check out the more recent sightings of Lucifer, Emily was going through a rather impressive pile of information about the times Lucifer had spent in Italy.

“What exactly were you doing in Nazi Germany?” frowned Derek when he went through the notebook by a Father Charleston who appeared to be Kinley’ predecessor.

“Oh that,” said Lucifer darkly. “There was a spike of souls sent to Hell and that – in my experience – is usually a harbinger for war, and the Great War had just ended. I wanted to see what was going on.” He closed his eyes. “Remember that bit about free will last night? Let’s just say that very few events in human history challenged my resolve to let you figure out things for yourself more than the madness that was the Second World War.” Cold, dark eyes stared Derek down and for just a moment, Derek felt like he had to apologize for belonging to the same species that caused Lucifer that much pain. “But honestly, genocide is yet another discipline where humans have gone beyond all expectations.”

It sounded like an attempt at humor, but because of the subject matter, it fell flat, and Lucifer did not smile.

“Oh, wow!”

They both turned to see what Emily was checking out.

“There’s an entire box about your time in Italy between 1470 and 1519,” said she. “Spending a lot of time in Firenze, Milano, Venezia and Cloux?” the Italian and French names falling easily from her lips as she smiled at Lucifer. The devil’s expression was curiously blank as he slowly walked over.

“What have you found?”

“The Order’s notes on sightings of you,” said she, carefully using her gloves to open ancient books, “and this notebook, oh, holy…” She almost let the notebook drop.

“Emily?”

“That’s from Leonardo da Vinci. You knew Leonardo da Vinci?” She asked, flabbergasted, and picked up the book again with the care that the priceless artifact probably deserved. An unpublished notebook from Leonardo da Vinci had to be worth a fortune. There were faded notes and illegible script. Even if Derek spoke Italian, this looked more like code. “I’ve no idea what this means,” said Emily confirming the profiler’s suspicions. “This has got to- oh, oh wow! That’s… detailed.”

Detailed it was. This was Lucifer in all his glory, without any clothes on.

“So, you _knew_ him,” she concluded. When Lucifer made no comment, they looked at him worriedly. Lucifer stared at the sketch in front of him and to Derek’s great surprise, the devil’s cheeks looked distinctly heated.

“Are you blushing?” asked Emily disbelievingly.

“You are,” grinned Derek. “Did he walk in on you?”

“It was an accident,” muttered Lucifer, his cheeks still showing an uncommon amount of color. “I’d just returned to the city and somehow, my arrival became known to Leonardo and he came over to surprise me.”

“And surprise you, he did,” said Derek, his grin so wide, his facial muscles became strained. “So, sexy times?”

“No!” exclaimed Lucifer, horrified. “He was so young, only twenty-two at the time. I never would have... He was speechless when he saw me, and he trailed my body with that gaze of his, and I reacted to that-“ The blush was undeniable as they looked down at the very explicit image of a stark-naked Lucifer _reacting_ to Leonardo’s inquisitory look.

“That gaze of his?” asked Emily softy, seeing already that this was not at all what they had expected to hear.

“He had this way of looking at you and seeing more, right through your defenses and to the very core of your being. _Saper Vedere_. It was almost inhuman, although he wasn't. He was all human, an absolutely brilliant human, but as human as they came." Lucifer spoke warmly, his hand on the notebook, his mind far back in the past.

“I'm not an art expert, man, but he definitely admired whatever he saw,” said Derek quietly.

“Of course, he did,” scoffed Lucifer. “Even before he elevated to the status of mastery, he felt alone. He was so far ahead of his time, he was... oftentimes lonely and there was me, looking like I was nearly twice his age understanding everything he was saying and more. Even more so, there was me not only supporting but sharing his sexuality while being far more experienced than he was. Taking him up on his advances would have been wrong, like I was... what's the word you use sometimes? Like I was grooming him. Later, when he was older and more experienced, he stopped propositioning to me, so there you go.”

“Perhaps because he learned from the best just how important consent is,” said Emily. She carefully turned another page revealing more of the polymath’s (‘ _Take that, Kid. I am listening to you.’)_ strange code. Lucifer seemed to have little trouble reading it because his eyes swiftly trailed down the page.

“As I said, some infatuation was bound to happen, but he did find a companion in Francesco Melzi, even though that relationship had its ups and mostly downs. It broke Leonardo’s heart when Francesco married and left him without so much as a glance back.” Lucifer looked genuinely indignant at the implication and Derek did not doubt for one second that this ‘admiration’ Leonardo da Vinci had felt for Lucifer was not one-sided. As Emily turned the pages, they found a lot of drawings of Lucifer smiling, laughing and looking exceedingly serious and thoughtful but even there, the devil’s kindness came through on every page. Da Vinci had drawn Lucifer as a beacon of Light, accurately so, and while Derek was by no means an arts expert, the artist’s love for the subject came through loud and clear.

One particular page appeared to stop Emily in her tracks, "Is that-?"

Lucifer and Derek looked down at the page. Broadly speaking, it depicted Lucifer, marred with scars and shaded in a way that – even though it was a sketch – made it clear that his skin was blistering red, being dragged away by what Derek unmistakably recognized as Amenadiel.

"Yes, well,” said Lucifer, clearing his throat when his voice cracked. “If you thought Mr. Lynch's reveal of me was unpleasant, remember that Leonardo watched me literally being dragged down to Hell by Amenadiel. He must have been horrified."

He had been, the sketch was very telling, but not for the reasons Lucifer thought. Yes, Lucifer's face and arms were obviously charred, but Derek also observed the sympathy and fondness for the devil, while Amenadiel had been portrayed as a looming, merciless threat.  
Emily continued turning the pages, "Didn't last, though."

There was one with Lucifer's head tilted skyward and the many constellations shining at their most beautiful. Derek did not know what Lucifer thought, but it became clear to Derek that Leonardo had been in love with Lucifer throughout his adult life. He had admired him, surely, but this was not blind admiration, just an aspect of what the man had felt for him.

“Well, next time I returned, he was with Francesco,” was all Lucifer said. “It was better that way.”

He did not sound bitter, not really, but there was a melancholy tone to it that was painful to hear.

“He was your friend, then?” Derek decided to ask, looking over Emily's shoulders to inspect the sketches.

“Yes,” said Lucifer, “he was.” Emily put a hand on the back of his shoulder in a comforting gesture and that caused the dam to break. “I may have loved him, I think. I'm not sure. I'm fond of all of my lovers,” he glanced at them, “and friends, but I find that my feelings for him did not quite reflect our relationship. Does this make any sense? I desired him, but he was too young to be desired.”

Derek was fully aware of Lucifer's strict moral code, but to hear that even _eighteen_ was too young for his tastes and carrying that impression through a man's lifetime really showed how unshakable Lucifer's code was, even in the face of a man he had obviously loved. “I very much enjoyed what we had, though. It was a very deep connection, a unique one that I cherished with all my heart.”

Derek wondered if that had been the first time that Lucifer experienced love in this manner, the feeling of, if not unrequited, then unfulfilled love. Derek did not doubt for a second that Lucifer had loved other partners before and after that - the devil was entirely too fond of people not to love them if given the opportunity – but Leonardo da Vinci could have been a first in that particular regard, just like Candy was his first romantic but asexual relationship, his first wife, and just like Ryan and Lucifer, young still as their recent change of relationship status was, were heading for the lang haul, because Derek had talked to the retired Army captain several times and that man was about as loyal as a Golden Retriever, and very fond of the devil. The team too, was the first of its kind for Lucifer, Derek realized and he suddenly remembered Michael’s words two nights before.

They would all die.

_Shit._

They had to make sure he was ready for that when it happened.

Emily’s train of thought had to be different because she was smiling, “And from what I see here, so did he.”

Lucifer returned the smile, his hand gently tracing over the notebook before he turned more pages looking mostly at the sketches, but he stopped at the last page, “You sneaky little thing, you.” His eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“What?” asked Derek curiously.

“Francesco was far less brilliant than Leonardo, and he was exceedingly jealous of our friendship,” said Lucifer quietly. “Leonardo knew this book would never survive his death and he apparently wanted me to find it. This is his personal code; I doubt many people could figure it out. Here is what it says.

_‘My dearest friend,_

_I do hope you will hold this in your hands one day and remember me fondly._

_I fear it won’t take long and I will meet your sister. Shall I send her your love?_

_I miss you, and I hope to see you, one last time. Or will we see each other anyway? Am I destined for Heaven or Hell? I’m afraid, my friend, so very afraid. I wish you were here. How can Heaven be bliss for me when it will prevent me from ever seeing you again? Yet, I know you would loath to have me in Hell for it would mean that I deserve punishment. I lived a life that I hope doesn’t deserve it. I would not wish to do that to you._

_I cannot stay on Earth for my life is coming to its end, but if Hell is not where I am headed, what could possibly await me in Heaven that isn’t Hell?’_

Hoarsely, Lucifer cleared his throat before saying, “He stopped writing there and finished the letter later on.

‘ _Forgive my dark thoughts. You_ _know how old men can be sometimes._

_Have I ever told you how many questions I still have and how grateful I am that you answered so many? Will humanity ever understand it all? I have hope, you know, hope that my silly drawings and ideas will bear fruit. I see a marvelous world ahead of us. Do you see it, too? Are you there now as you read these lines? What has changed? Humanity adapts so very quickly, you once said. Are we flying like birds now? Have we learned to see to the very core we are all made off? I feel all living things are made of the same basic structure, as different as we may look on a larger scale. Do we now know every corner of this vast Earth, has it been fully mapped? Oh, and what do we now know about the universe? You have not been very forthcoming, don’t think I haven’t noticed, my mysterious friend._

_Oh, I wish I could see it all. I hope I will. Do you think Heaven would allow me to observe the world’s advances? If Heaven truly is bliss, then that is what I wish to see.’”_

Lucifer’s voice cracked again.

“You have no idea, Leonardo,” he breathed before continuing.

_“’I trust Francesco with my life, heart and soul and everything that pertains it, except for this. He doesn’t understand our friendship, doesn’t understand that, when I see you, I see the sun and all the stars in the sky, for you have put them there. I’m afraid if he sees this, he will destroy it or carelessly cast it aside, for all that he was the one to leave me, he doesn’t wish to see me with anyone else, especially you, which is silly, I know. After all, I never had you._

_Therefore, in the event you won’t be there in my passing – and I hope that you will be – I will have this sent to Rome._

_Why would I send this to those who falsely perceive you as the Adversary, you ask? What better preservers of knowledge are there than those that fear it? They will never part with it as it contains drawings of their Enemy with notes written in a secret scripture you helped me build, and is thus, a truly hellish relic. They will draw the wrong conclusions from correct observations:_

_Observation 1: Leonardo da Vinci worships the devil._

_Observation 2: Leonardo da Vinci supports the devil’s intentions._

_Conclusion: The devil’s intentions are to destroy the world and bring the world to ruin, thus Leonardo da Vinci is an evil monster._

_I will enjoy being the scapegoat right along your side. You shouldn’t have to bear this burden alone. They will preserve this book and one of these days, you will find it because the church will confront you one day, and they will lose, and you will see this._

_Let me tell you then just how much I cherish our friendship, how deep my admiration for you runs. Humans should not wish to touch the stars – are they suns? You never answered – yet here I am, desperately desiring to touch the Morningstar one more time. Do not mourn me too grievously and give me that playful smile of yours for I know it just threatened to steal its way on your lips, while your eyes are filled with tears.’”_

Oh damn, that guy had known Lucifer intimately because that was precisely Lucifer’s expression.

_“’Farewell, my dearest friend, I hope to see you again one day.’”_

The wheezing sound at the end sounded too much like choked agony and Derek gently took the book from Lucifer’s hands that had fallen limp at the end of the message, and hugged him tightly.

“You didn’t have to tell us all that, you know,” said he roughly.

“Perhaps, I wanted someone to know,” was the pained reply. “To make sure I wasn’t seeing things.”

“You mean that you managed to utterly enthrall Leonardo Da Vinci with your good looks and winning personality?” joked Derek, fully aware that Lucifer did not need gloomy, earnest declarations right now. Lucifer’s chuckle was wet but honest.

“Precisely. He never said a word,” muttered the devil.

“I think he didn’t want to hurt you, and so he took a page from your book and followed your lead,” said Raphael. Derek had not noticed that he returned from his conversation with the Vatican representatives. Derek wondered how much he had heard, but then Lucifer had probably known Raphael was within earshot because he did not jerk at his brother’s voice, arms still around Derek hugging just a bit too tight. “Knowing he would die would have only intensified your grief if you had known.”

“Have you ever talked to him?” asked Lucifer, letting go of Derek.

“I don’t tend to visit the souls of the deceased,” confessed Raphael. “It never occurred to me that I should, but my curiosity has peaked. Would you allow me to visit him?”

“Of course,” said Lucifer. “Send him my… regards.”

“I will,” reassured him Raphael before changing topics. “So, all of this is now yours. This will take some time to go through.”

“Oh, but I have one Dr. Spencer Reid at my disposal. Together, we will go through this in no time.”

“You know, some of these artifacts,” said Emily looking around, “some museums would kill for them. I don’t know, but if anything isn’t too personal, or too obviously ‘Lucifer Morningstar is the devil’ evidence, you should think about lending that part of the collection to the American Museum of Natural History. Or another museum. A friend of mine is a curator, she would be more than happy to help with this.”

“That is an excellent idea, Agent Prentiss,” said Lucifer in delight. “We will do that.”

They did not spend too much time in the collection after that, and instead, Lucifer organized the transport of the archive to his penthouse into the guest room of a very delighted Reid who would spend the night going through this. The only item that was not loaded onto the truck was a box containing items the church had acquired from former lovers. The majority of these items had been stolen and Derek watched with grim satisfaction as Lucifer put the fear of the devil into the poor Vatican representatives who had probably been entirely ignorant of _Adversus Adversarius’_ actions.

* * *

The precious box in his hands, Lucifer made his way up to his penthouse. He had not really been interested in the Vatican or what the Catholic Order had planned for him, but knowing they had stolen from people he cared about, his lovers and friends, made him absolutely furious. He also could not wait going through some of these letters.

And Leonardo’s notebook.

He needed to read the whole thing; Leonardo had officially gifted it to him and he would treasure and preserve for as long as possible.

He froze in the elevator as it opened to his penthouse. There were Dromos and Mazikeen, both taking on a defensive stance and Lucifer knew why before he actually saw the reason.

“Amenadiel,” said he coolly. “Had a nice trip?”

He had hoped he would stay away for a few weeks, but apparently, he had underestimated his brother’s determination and skill if faced with the unknown. He should not have.

“Lucifer, we need to talk,” said his brother.

“You’re in no position to make demands, Brother.”

Remorsefully, the Angel of Time lowered his head, “That did not sound the way I wanted it to.”

“Well then,” scoffed Lucifer. “Good luck finding the right words and tone.” For the first time in an eternity, he could genuinely say that he did not care what Amenadiel thought. If these past days had shown him anything was that, with very few exceptions, his siblings’ love for him was bound to whatever Dad had to say. He had known that before, he had even understood it, but currently, he lacked the patience for it. He had let them hurt him, scold him, vilify him, and now he was tired.

“Your punishment of Uriel has become known to me,” continued Amenadiel. “What is your verdict?”

“Of what?” asked Lucifer, confused while gesturing at Mazikeen and Dromos to stay down.

“Of my misdeeds. What is your ruling for what I’ve done?”

Lucifer was Lord of Hell. He had met his fair share of souls that wanted to be punished, needed to be punished for their own peace of mind. He had no trouble recognizing that desire in his stick-up-his-arse brother.

He laughed out loud.

Amenadiel truly had no idea, did he? Oh, this was going to be fun.

“Amenadiel, First of the Angels, Ruler of Time,” he began formally, smile fading, “you have used humans to do your bidding, stood by as Uriel, your nestling, plotted to kill several innocents, and conspired against me without the decree of our Lord Father,” saying that left a bitter taste in his mouth despite saying it in jest, “so this is my sentence…” He paused seeing Amenadiel relax at the promise of punishment. “Absolutely nothing.”

Shocked, his oldest brother stared at him, “But…”

“I won’t punish you; I won’t give you my time of day for it is precious for all but the one who can wield it at will. You’ve shunned me for an eternity; it’s my turn now. I won’t insult you. I won’t talk to you. I have _nothing_ to say to you. Perhaps, when you learn where exactly you were led astray, we may talk again, but right now I want you to leave my home.”

Stunned, the older angel stared at him, but Lucifer’s knew his face was nothing but an emotionless mask. He had become good at it. Amenadiel had contributed to no small degree to the iron control Lucifer had on his emotions.

“Lucifer…”

“Are you deaf? This is my sentence, you were willing to hear it, now leave, Brother, or I will allow my demons to kick you out and I guarantee you they’ll enjoy doing it.”

Amenadiel listened and left, shock still written all over his face.

“Nice,” grinned Mazikeen. “Raphael was called away?” She had obviously expected the healer to be with Lucifer.

“Just like the devil’s work is never done, the Healer is always on call,” confirmed Lucifer. “As much as I appreciate his presence these past days, he was getting restless and that, in turn, made me nervous. Ready, Dromos?”

He was and they soon had to make their way to the airport. Dromos was very happy to spend some time with Lucifer alone telling him in detail about the ideas he had for punishment.

The one with the infernal security check was inspired.

“Dromos, if you need me, then send a message through Azrael. She’s regularly at the Gates and she will do you the favor,” said Lucifer. As conflicted as he was about her, it did not come close to his anger with Amenadiel, and he wanted to give her an opening.

“I will, my Lord. I forgot to tell you, but thank you for the carrier pigeon,” he added. “She’s a _dove_.”

Lucifer grinned at the pun. They discussed punishments and Lucifer handed over his list of people that deserved special attention, and they started exchanging ideas.

“The one who hurt Agent Morgan,” said Dromos quietly. “Is he already with us?”

“No,” said Lucifer, not even wondering how come the demon knew about that. Dromos was very protective of those who had been hurt as Agent Morgan, he could recognize it in a heartbeat. “Give it a few years.”

Ten hours later, they were where Dromos’ vessel had died.

“I’m not looking forward to this,” said Dromos. “It’s very disorienting.”

“Dying usually is,” scoffed Lucifer.

“It’s not dyi… You are right, it is,” he admitted. “I never thought of it that way.”

“The body shuts down and you have to feel that for you to be able to leave it,” shrugged Lucifer. He had died so many times when he Fell, sometimes he could still feel its echoes running through him like an electric current. Dromos lay down looking up at Lucifer with an expression full of trust.

“Farewell, my Lord,” said he, his lips trembling.

“ _Auf Wiedersehen,”_ said he, kissing Dromos‘ forehead, again thinking that the English language was not sufficient to reassure the demon that they would see each other again, even though he could not promise it to be at a specific time.

Dromos’ eyes filled with tears, they stayed open as he took a last shuddering breath and Lucifer watched the demon’s essence leave the body and return to Hell.

He walked away, pulled out his phone and called Dr. Bill, not wanting to disturb Dr. Linda.

_“Lucifer,_ ” said the elderly man. _“It’s good that you called me. I’ve heard through the FBI grapevine that you were being threatened and I was worried.”_

“Everything has been handled, Dr. Bill, but I feel like I need to talk about it.”

_“Tomorrow, my office, at 9 AM?”_ he suggested.

“Make that tomorrow night, I have to fly back first,” said Lucifer in return.

_“Done. Do you wish me to call Dr. Martin to see if she can join?”_

Lucifer, who knew she had probably been briefed by Mazikeen, was conflicted. He trusted Dr. Linda never to reveal what they had talked about during their sessions, but it seemed wrong to bother Dr. Linda with his issues. She was not only his therapist, she was his friend, and he was starting to find it easier to talk to Dr. Bill whom he liked but with whom he was not that close.

“No, thank you,” said he quietly. “Just you.”

_“Of course,”_ answered the man. _“I will see you soon.”_

He had talked to Raphael about it, about whether he could help him make sense of everything that had happened, but the healer had simply said, _“Oh Lucifer, I wish, but I cannot. I am biased, I am involved. You’re my brother and I couldn’t possibly help you the way you need it. You should talk about it, though, and I am so proud that you recognize that. Have you talked to Dr. Bill about it? Or Dr. Linda?”_

_“But… Dr. Linda is my friend. Isn’t that an inherent bias as well? She’s Mazikeen’s partner, which basically makes her my sister, doesn’t it?”_

_“If you feel that way about her, then you should consider switching from Dr. Linda to Dr. Bill as your primary therapist, but don’t decide right away. Dr. Linda is an excellent therapist and she’s helped you tremendously. Take your time.”_

And he was. He was immortal, he had plenty of time.

An elderly woman’s greeting interrupted his thoughts.

“Changeling child,” she breathed stopping dead in her tracks. “I didn’t know fairies replaced adults as well. Where is he?”

“Mr. Harrington, I presume,” smiled Lucifer. “To answer your question first: he returned to where he belongs, and he’s no longer with us.” She looked saddened at the thought, so Lucifer continued, “He told me just how much you helped him.”

“Replaced by fairies or not, he was much nicer after the exchange,” was the flippant reply. “You’re the _father_ , then.”

Lucifer laughed, not taking offence at the poignant question, “No, but believe it or not, he never lied to you. I would like to repay you for the kindness you’ve shown him when there was no reason for you to do so.”

Mrs. Harrington scoffed, “I’m an old Irishwoman, sir. I know better than to accept a gift from a fairy.”

“Well, I’m not of the fae,” answered Lucifer with a smile. “And you’ve already done your favor. Selflessly so. It deserves a reward.”

“Then come on, I’m going to the store and I could use a hand.”

He offered his arm, which she took, and only then did she look at him with a sly, playful smile, “Or perhaps…”

Lucifer laughed and purred, “Whatever you desire.”

* * *

A/N: Warning!

* * *

“ _Exorcizamus te, satanica spiritus legio…_ No, no, no,” muttered William. Was he still William? Had they taken his name from him, too? _“Dei humiliare sub pot…_ No, no, that isn’t it.”

“Mr. Kinley,” said a female voice gently.

No, that was not right, either.

_“Satana, vade… Vade, satana, a nobis sancto et terribili nominee-“_

“Father Kinley,” she said, and William, _Father Kinley_ – that was it. That was him – looked up.

“It’s time for your medication.”

He looked at her and shrieked. Her face was half-ruined, half-beauty; she was the one who haunted his nightmare. _Her_ and the Hellfire that came with her.

_“Go back, Satan!”_ he screamed holding up his cross, only to realize that he held no cross. They had taken his cross. They had taken his purpose. He was all alone.

_Oh Lord, please, have mercy. Make it stop._

Her face morphed and she was back to being that blonde-haired nurse who had helped him. The satanic face had disappeared.

_Her_.

She had deceived him. She had tested his resolve. He had prevailed, but then, she had started saying things, clawing at his sanity bit by bit.

“ _Libera nos di Domine, diabol-_ No, it’s the other way around. Please, Sister, give me back my cassock.”

“I’m not a nun, Mr. Kinley, and you are no longer allowed to wear a cassock, but let me check. If I can just make them see that you need this as your armor, perhaps they will allow it.”

“They? Satan and his whore?”

“No. The Vatican.”

He was not sure whether he laughed or cried at that.

* * *

Both Dan and Chloe cleaned out their desks on the same day, a week after Chloe returned to LA. He had never meant to reveal what truly happened in Palmetto, but given everything that happened, he could not have stayed at the precinct anyway, not with the rumors floating around. Moreover, Monroe had really stuck her head out to make sure Chloe didn’t end up in jail. He owed her for that. Without the police chief, their daughter would have only had one parent growing up. Now she had two unemployed ex-cops as parents, whose personal reputation was in tatters, but at least, Trixie did not have to visit them in jail. Any other day, Dan probably could have gotten away with what happened back there, but Monroe was merciless. She had spent months investigating that case and when he had told her, she had been absolutely furious.

The precinct was silent. The only person genuinely distressed at their departure was Ella and she had them promise that they would go out together some time in the near future.

They carried their boxes out and to their car without looking back. About a decade of taking on the shittiest of jobs to climb up the ladder flushed down the toilet like it was nothing. He wanted to be angry at her, he truly did, but he had screwed up as well, so he kept his mouth shut.

At least, the devil was no longer in town.

“What is it?” asked Chloe.

“How likely is it that Hollywood will hire to ex-cops?”

“Are you kidding me?” She smiled, quietly amused, and looking so much like the woman he had fallen in love with, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go. “We’d be fantastic stuntmen.”

He chuckled wryly.

Life was kind of shitty right now, and here he was, unemployed on the same day as his ex-wife, reputation shot to hell and their future anything but certain… Yet, they would be fine. He had come from nothing; Chloe had clawed her way through years of ridicule for her acting career. They would manage, and the less they had to deal with supernatural forces in the future, the better.

* * *

Amenadiel was in Heaven before his father.

Father was not angry. He was just _disappointed._

He would have preferred the anger.

“I must return to Earth,” said the oldest angel. “Make amends.”

“I am not keeping you, but remember, Lucifer doesn’t want to talk to you. He doesn’t want to talk to _us_. Give him _time_. We should at least grant him that much.”

“Of course,” said Amenadiel, determined to make things right again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References:  
> -https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/leonardo-da-vinci  
> \- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_inventions_of_Leonardo_da_Vinci

**Author's Note:**

> Reverence For Life Series - Outline [chronological order]:
> 
> STORY 1: Return From Tartarus (posted)  
> STORY 2: The Devil Comes Down to Quantico (posted)  
> CM Interlude 1: The Devil Files - Box 1 (CM episode recaps and snippets with Lucifer, not necessary for main stories) (posted)  
> STORY 3: Like Ashes in the Wind (original case fic + original plot) (posted)  
> CM Interlude 2: The Devil Files - Box 2 (more CM episodes, same as Box 1) (poster)  
> STORY 4: The True Believer (original case fic + original plot) (this story; It's already half-time!)  
> CM Interlude 3: The Devil Files - Box 3 (same as Box 1 & 2)  
> STORY 5: When the Fallen Angel Weeps (original case fix + original plot)  
> CM Interlude 4: The Devil Files - Box 4 (same as Box 1-3)  
> STORY 6: Climbing Yggdrasil (original case fic + original plot)  
> CM Interlude 5: The Devil Files - Box 5 (recommended to read for end)  
> STORY 7: All Stories Come to an End


End file.
